At the ongoing World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo, Neeraj Chopra's performance in the men's javelin throw final was not up to the mark. Neeraj finished in eighth place, with his best throw being 84.03 meters (second attempt). Alongside Neeraj, Sachin Yadav also represented India, delivering a commendable performance to secure the fourth spot. Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan finished in the tenth position.
Sachin Yadav's best throw was an impressive 86.27 meters, marking his personal best. The gold medal was clinched by Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago, throwing 88.16 meters. Anderson Peters from Grenada took silver with a throw of 87.36 meters, while the USA's Curtis Thompson claimed bronze with 86.67 meters. Sachin missed the bronze by a mere 40 cm.
The Thrills of the Javelin Final
Arshad Nadeem's first throw was 82.73 meters, with his second attempt resulting in a foul. His third throw was 82.75 meters, and another foul marked his fourth attempt. On the other hand, Neeraj Chopra's first throw reached 83.65 meters, followed by 84.03 meters on the second attempt; the third and fifth attempts were fouls. Neeraj's fourth throw stood at 82.86 meters. Sachin Yadav began with a formidable 86.27-meter throw, fouled on his second attempt, and managed 85.71 meters on his third.
Sachin Yadav's fourth attempt measured 84.90 meters, with his final two throws measuring 85.96 meters and 80.95 meters, respectively. Throughout three attempts, two athletes were eliminated, with additional eliminations after the fourth attempt. Arshad Nadeem was eliminated after the fourth attempt, and Neeraj Chopra followed after the fifth.
Neeraj Chopra's Performance in the Final:
First Throw: 83.65 meters Second Throw: 84.03 meters Third Throw: Foul Fourth Throw: 82.86 meters Fifth Throw: Foul
Sachin Yadav's Performance in the Final:
First Throw: 86.27 meters Second Throw: Foul Third Throw: 85.71 meters Fourth Throw: 84.90 meters Fifth Throw: 85.96 meters Sixth Throw: 80.95 meters
Source: aajtak
In the qualification round, Neeraj Chopra threw 84.85 meters, placing third in his group and sixth overall. Neeraj easily cleared the qualification round, throwing 84.50 meters in his first attempt in Group A, surpassing the automatic qualification mark.
Meanwhile, Arshad Nadeem started in Group B with a 76.99-meter throw in his first attempt, followed by 74.17 meters in the second. It seemed unlikely he would reach the finals, but his third and final attempt of 85.28 meters ensured his place. Arshad secured the fifth position overall to advance to the finals.
Top Throws of the Final:
1. Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago): 88.16 meters 2. Anderson Peters (Grenada): 87.38 meters 3. Curtis Thompson (USA): 86.67 meters 4. Sachin Yadav (India): 86.27 meters 5. Julian Weber (Germany): 86.11 meters 6. Julius Yego (Kenya): 85.54 meters 7. Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka): 84.38 meters 8. Neeraj Chopra (India): 84.03 meters 9. David Wegner (Poland): 83.03 meters 10. Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan): 82.75 meters 11. Jakob Stadler (Czech Republic): 78.71 meters 12. Cameron McIntyre (Australia): 75.65 meters
Since the Paris Olympics 2024, this was the first face-off between Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem. Arshad had won the gold in Paris with a throw of 92.97 meters, whereas Neeraj had secured the second spot with an 89.45-meter throw. In the previous World Athletics Championship held in Budapest, Neeraj claimed gold with a throw of 88.17 meters, with Arshad as the runner-up and Jakob Stadler in third.
Sachin Yadav's Qualification Round
Sachin Yadav secured his place in the finals with a throw of 83.67 meters, finishing sixth in Group A and tenth overall. Indian athletes Rohit Yadav and Yashveer Singh were 28th and 30th, respectively, missing the final cut. Anderson Peters led the qualification with a remarkable throw of 89.53 meters.
Neeraj Chopra Unable to Defend Title
In the history of World Athletics Championships, only two athletes have successfully defended their titles in men's javelin: Czech Republic’s Jan Zelezny (1993 & 1995) and Anderson Peters (2019 & 2022). Interestingly, Zelezny is Neeraj Chopra's current coach.
