Neeraj Chopra, India’s javelin throw superstar and Olympic medalist, opened up about his tough day at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The defending champion finished eighth and couldn’t hold onto his title, but he’s already eyeing a strong comeback.
In a heartfelt post on X, Neeraj shared his disappointment: “It’s not how I had hoped to end the season at the World Championships in Tokyo. I wanted to step out there and give my best for India despite all the challenges, but it wasn’t my night.” He stayed positive, cheering on fellow Indian Sachin Yadav, who smashed a personal best and grabbed fourth place. “I’m really happy for Sachin, who threw a personal best and almost brought home a medal,” Neeraj wrote. He also congratulated the winners: Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott, Anderson Peters from Grenada, and America’s Curtis Thompson.
Keshorn Walcott clinched the gold with an impressive 88.16-meter throw—his first World Championship title, 13 years after his Olympic win in London. Anderson Peters, the 2024 Olympic bronze medalist, took silver with 87.38 meters, while Curtis Thompson earned bronze at 86.67 meters. For fans hoping for an epic India-Pakistan showdown between Neeraj and rival Arshad Nadeem, it didn’t quite happen—Neeraj’s best was 84.03 meters for eighth, and Nadeem ended tenth with 82.73 meters.
The competition kicked off strong. Germany’s Julian Weber led the first round with 83.63 meters. Neeraj, the title defender, followed closely at 83.65 meters, just ahead of Nadeem’s 82.73 meters. But Curtis Thompson grabbed the early lead with 86.67 meters. Young Indian star Sachin Yadav stole the show for India, throwing 86.27 meters—better than Neeraj’s mark at that point.
As the rounds went on, Neeraj couldn’t find his rhythm and bowed out in the fifth round, settling for eighth. All eyes turned to Sachin, who hit 85.96 meters in his fifth attempt to stay in fourth. His final throw of 80.95 meters sealed the fourth-place finish, keeping India’s medal hopes alive but just short.
Neeraj wrapped up his post with gratitude: “Congratulations to @keshorn_walcott, @peters_oly and @Curt_Thompson on their well-deserved podium places. Grateful for all your support—this only makes me determined to come back stronger.” Javelin fans in India will be rooting for both stars as they gear up for more big events ahead.
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