The 2025 World Athletics Championships Men’s Javelin throw event recently concluded with a surprise finish in Tokyo, Japan. The final, which took place earlier today (September 18) at the Japan National Stadium, left many Indian sporting fans baffled as their favourite for the tournament, Neeraj Chopra, who was eyeing title defence this tournament, finished 8th in the rankings.
Commonly referred to as one of the greatest sporting events outside of the Olympics, the World Athletics Championship is presently being hosted in Japan and is set to conclude on September 21, 2025. Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago secured the gold medal with a winning throw of 88.16m. Anderson Peters of Grenada secured the silver medal, while Curtis Thompson of the USA earned the bronze. This impressive fourth-round effort cemented Walcott’s second major global title and marked a significant moment in the championships.
Chopra continues to go down the spiral
Defending champion Neeraj Chopra’s dream of retaining his World Championships title came to an abrupt and disappointing end on Thursday in Tokyo. India’s maiden two-time Olympic medalist in the sport finished at the eighth spot in the final, marking one of the biggest upsets of the world meet.
The result marked a rare setback in Chopra’s glorious career. The year 2025 marks itself as a rather low point in Chopra’s career as this marks the first time in seven years, when he failed to win a medal at an international competition. The final also ended his remarkable four-year hot streak of finishing in the top two at every major event he entered.
Sachin Yadav shows promise
In contrast to Chopra’s struggles, Sachin Yadav delivered a breakthrough performance on the world stage. The 25-year-old from Khekra, Uttar Pradesh, dazzled the crows with a series of consistent throws, culminating in a personal best of 86.27m in the final.
Yadav narrowly missed out on a medal to finish fourth in the tournament. The young athlete’s powerful display at a high level tournament has marked him as a promising talent for the future of Indian javelin. He had previously won a silver medal at the 2025 Asian Championships and was initially a fast bowler before he transitioned to javelin throw at the age of 19.