World Championships: Sachin Yadav opens up on losing a medal in marquee event

Sachin Yadav during the javelin throw final at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships on Thursday. PIC/AFP

Outperforming the likes of Neeraj Chopra and Julian Weber in his debut World Championship is a nice feeling, but India's new-found javelin throw talent Sachin Yadav says it can't make up for the disappointment of letting a bronze medal slip after a strong start.

Unheralded Yadav, participating in only his second international event, upstaged celebrated competitors like two-time Olympic medallist Chopra (84.03m), reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem (82.75m) and Diamond League trophy winner Julian Weber (86.11m) in Tokyo on Thursday in a surprisingly strong show.

The Indian's first-round throw of 86.27m was a personal best, bettering the earlier mark of 85.16m recorded while winning a silver in the Asian Championships in May, which was his first international event. Curtis Thompson of the USA won the bronze with 86.67m - just 40cm better than Yadav's effort.

Neeraj Chopra

"My opening throw went very well. Weather conditions were good, my body was in great shape and execution was near perfect. The moment I saw my javelin land, I thought I can win a medal. I was confident I could pull off at least one throw of 87m," Yadav told PTI from Tokyo.

"I was competing against the world's best and naturally your performance gets better. But I could not improve my first throw in next five attempts despite trying my best. So, I feel that I let slip a World Championships medal," the 25-year-old Madhya Pradesh athlete rued.

Yadav's second throw was a foul and the remaining four measured 85.71m, 84.90m, 85.96m and 80.95m. Three of his legal throws were better than his earlier personal best.

I will be back stronger, says a dejected Chopra

Indian javelin throw ace Neeraj Chopra on Friday said that the disappointing 8th-place finish at the World C'ships was not how he had hoped to end his season but vowed to come back stronger. "It's not how I had hoped to end the season... Grateful for all your support, this only makes me determined to come back stronger," he posted on X.

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