DEFENDING champion Neeraj Chopra endured a nightmarish outing in the men’s javelin throw final at the World Championships, finishing a disappointing eighth. He was overshadowed by compatriot Sachin Yadav, who delivered a personal-best performance to claim a creditable fourth place on Thursday (18).
On a day when no thrower managed to cross the 90m mark, Chopra bowed out after the fifth and penultimate round with a best effort of 84.03m. The 27-year-old fouled his fifth attempt, exiting the competition at the very venue where he won his historic Olympic gold in 2021.
Only the top six athletes compete in the final round, and it was Yadav who surprisingly carried India’s hopes. His opening throw of 86.27m, a personal best, not only outshone Chopra but also bettered German star Julian Weber (86.11m) and Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem (82.75m).
The gold medal went to Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott with 88.16m, followed by Grenada’s Anderson Peters (87.38m) and the USA’s Curtis Thompson (86.67m).
India's Neeraj Chopra in action REUTERS/Edgar Su www.easterneye.biz
Nadeem, a silver medallist in the previous edition, exited early in the fourth round. Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist, began with 83.65m to stand fifth, improving slightly to 84.03m before fouling his third throw. By the halfway stage, he had slipped to eighth.
His fourth attempt measured 82.86m, leaving him needing 85.54m to surpass Kenya’s Julius Yego in the fifth round. But Chopra fouled, ending his campaign in frustration. After releasing the spear, he stumbled sideways and crossed the curved line, drawing a red flag. He buried his face in his waist belt before regaining composure.
Competing in the same arena where he claimed India's first Olympic athletics gold in 2021, Chopra could only muster a best throw of 84.03m - worse than his qualifying mark from the previous day.
"I don't understand what happened today. This has not happened for a long time. I had some problems before coming to Tokyo," said Chopra, who was defending his 2023 world title.
"Two weeks ago I had some back issues but I didn't want to tell anyone. I was thinking I would still manage to get through it. But javelin is really tough. If you are not in a good shape, you're out.
"Normally it doesn't happen with me because for a long time, I was always in top two positions. After a long time I'm not in the position, but it's okay I will learn from today and I will try to stay healthy and try to focus on my technique."
Chopra said he hurt his back on September 4 and then had an MRI scan, adding that he was not at 100 per cent.
"Maybe I need more training or to improve my technique. Maybe I just need more time for training," Chopra added.
"But it's life, it's sport. I have to accept it and move on. Competing two days in a row was not a problem. It was OK because I qualified yesterday with my first throw.
"It was not too far but I was thinking it was still good, and that I could throw further today. I will go back to my room, watch the competition and check on my throws. I will work on it."
Known for his consistency, Chopra’s failure to cross 85m in five attempts was baffling. Before Thursday, his lowest mark since 2024 was 82.27m at the Federation Cup, where he still won gold.
Earlier this season, he had touched the 90m mark with a 90.23m throw at the Doha Diamond League under the guidance of legendary coach Jan Železný, but his form has dipped since then.
(Agencies)
