Yadav outshines senior compatriot with 86.27m throw to finish fourth in the javelin throw final, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal; defending champion Chopra (84.03) blames back niggle after finishing 8th
A frustrated Neeraj Chopra after his last throw at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Thursday. Pic/Getty Images
When Sachin Yadav, 25, qualified for the javelin throw final at the World Championships in Tokyo on Wednesday with a throw of 83.67m, he was an understudy to superstar Neeraj Chopra, 27, just like all other Indian athletes in this discipline have been over the years. Neeraj needed just one throw (84.85m) to qualify for the final.
However, 24 hours later, Sachin not only trumped Neeraj in the final, but also proved that he is a force to reckon with after narrowly missing out on the podium with a fourth-place finish.
Sachin Yadav during the javelin throw final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Thursday. Pic/AP,PTI
Struggling for rhythm
Neeraj’s defence of his World title ended in bitter disappointment as the two-time Olympic medallist finished a humbling eighth, struggling for rhythm. Chopra could only produce a best effort of 84.03m, nowhere close to his personal best of 90.23m, which he achieved earlier in the season in Doha. Keshorn Walcott (season’s best throw of 88.16) of Trinidad and Tobago won the gold medal and the title of world champion 13 years after winning the Olympic gold at the 2012 London Games. Two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada (87.38m) took silver while USA’s Curtis Thompson (86.67m) bagged the bronze, the first World Championship medal for the United States in javelin throw in 18 years.
While Chopra finished eighth, Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, who clinched Olympic gold in Paris with a throw of 92.97m, finished 10th with a best throw of 82.75m. Interestingly, Germany’s season leader with 91.51m, Julian Weber, finished fifth (85.54m).
Meanwhile, Sachin (personal best of 86.27m) missed out on a World Championship medal by just 40cm. The event, however, proved that there is much hope for future medals for India given Sachin’s sensational effort at the Japan National Stadium. The best part about his display was that he did not just throw far, but also did so consistently.
Chopra started with 83.65m, Nadeem was at 82.73m, while Weber started with 83.63. Yadav produced a great throw of 86.27m first up, smashing his previous personal best of 85.16m. Neeraj then hurled his spear across 84.03m while Nadeem managed 82.75m, and Weber achieved 86.11m in their second throws. Yadav fouled in this attempt. Nadeem was out in the next round with a foul while Neeraj Chopra, who won a World Championship gold medal at Belgrade (2023) and a silver in Eugene, USA (2022), fouled his third and fifth throws and dropped out.
Tough lesson for Chopra
“I don’t understand what happened today. This has not happened for a long time. I had some problems before coming to Tokyo. Two weeks ago, I had some back issues, but didn’t want to tell anyone. I thought I would still manage to get through it, but javelin can be really tough. If you are not in a good shape, you’re out. But it’s ok, I will learn from today. I probably need more training or must improve my technique. This is life, this is sport. I have to accept it and move on. I will go back to my room, watch the competition, check on my throws and work on them,” Neeraj was quoted as saying by World Athletics. Sachin, meanwhile, continued to be in medal contention with throws of 84.90m and 85.96m before finishing the event with a modest 80.95m in his sixth and final throw.
40cm
The margin by which Sachin Yadav fell short of winning bronze
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