Guwahati: India’s Sachin Yadav delivered the best performance of his young career but narrowly missed a historic podium finish at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Thursday.
At 25 years old, competing in his first world final, Yadav launched the javelin 86.27 meters on his opening throw, a personal best that briefly placed him in medal contention.
Despite this impressive start, he fell short by just 40 centimeters and finished fourth.
While Yadav’s fearless performance captivated the audience, two-time Olympic medalist and defending world champion Neeraj Chopra struggled throughout the event.
Chopra managed only 84.03 meters, finishing eighth, unable to find his usual rhythm.
Expectations had centered on an India-Pakistan rivalry between Chopra and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, but it was Yadav who emerged as India’s standout athlete, outperforming both Chopra and Nadeem (who finished tenth).
Before the final, Yadav’s personal best stood at 85.16 meters, which earned him a silver medal at the Asian Athletics Championships earlier in the year. However, he exceeded that mark with his first throw in Tokyo.
After fouling his second attempt, he recorded a consistent series of throws, 85.71m, 84.90m, 85.96m, and 80.95m, but ultimately missed the bronze medal by a narrow margin.
Both Yadav and Chopra qualified for the final, with Chopra easily clearing 84.50 meters on his first attempt and Yadav securing his spot with 83.67 meters.
However, Chopra was unable to surpass 85 meters during the final, while Yadav’s opening throw kept him in contention throughout.
The gold medal went to Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott, the 2012 Olympic champion, who threw a season-best 88.16 meters, becoming his country’s first male javelin world champion.
Grenada’s Anderson Peters, a two-time world champion, took silver with 87.38 meters, and the United States’ Curtis Thompson claimed bronze with 86.67 meters, narrowly edging out Yadav.
India entered four athletes in the javelin event, but Rohit Yadav and Yashvir Singh failed to advance past the qualifiers, placing 28th and 30th, respectively. Consequently, India did not add to its javelin medal tally.
Who is Sachin Yadav?
Born on October 25, 1999, in Khekra, Uttar Pradesh, Sachin Yadav initially aspired to be a cricketer, excelling as a fast bowler during his teens.
He transitioned to javelin at age 19 and steadily climbed the athletics ranks. Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, Yadav credits former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni and pacer Jasprit Bumrah as his early inspirations.
Yadav’s breakthrough came at the 63rd National Open Athletics Championships in Bengaluru in 2024, where he threw over 80 meters for the first time, winning gold with an 80.04-meter effort.
He maintained his form into 2025, winning the Federation Cup in Kochi with 83.86 meters and later setting a record at the National Games in Dehradun with 84.39 meters.
His international breakthrough arrived at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea.
Competing against seasoned athletes, including Arshad Nadeem, Yadav recorded a personal best of 85.16 meters to earn silver, becoming only the third Indian to surpass the 85-meter mark.
Continuing his momentum in Tokyo, Yadav qualified for the World Championships final with an 83.67-meter throw.
His career-best 86.27-meter throw on Thursday confirmed his rising status as one of India’s brightest athletics prospects and signaled a potential shift in India’s javelin hierarchy, suggesting a future where he steps out of Neeraj Chopra’s shadow.