Watch: 13-year-old javelin thrower shatters India’s U-14 national record

Thirteen-year-old javelin thrower Varun Bhambhu grabbed the spotlight last week with a massive 71.20m throw in the boys’ U-14 event at the Junior Nationals in Tamil Nadu. 

He broke Bhiky Barman’s previous national record of 60.65m, set in Bhubaneswar on 10 December 2024, by a massive 10.55m to snatch the gold medal.

Varun is the son of Hanuman Singh, a former javelin thrower and coach, and hails from Bangaon, a Haryana village popularly known as India’s “Mini Finland” for its rich javelin-throwing tradition.

But the bigger question on everyone’s mind was why his javelin looked so small compared to what people are used to seeing.

The reason is that he was competing in a junior event, where the weight and size of the throwing equipment are determined by age category.

For example, the 600-gram javelin is used for the men's U16 event, and a 700-gram javelin is used for men's U18 events and the 800m for anything above it.

Meanwhile, Varun was competing in the U-14 category; therefore, he was using a 300g javelin, which is why it appeared smaller, as it is 500 grams lighter than the one used in senior competitions.

He was using a turbo javelin, specially designed for youth training and safety. It features a tail fin that provides greater flight stability and allows the javelin to travel farther.

Despite all this, crossing 70m is no small feat, and he is hoping to continue his progression in the coming years and maintain the same consistency with the heavier javelin. 

Watch his record-breaking throw here: