This is what the year 2025 was like for Indian athletics. (Photo- PTI)
Indian Athletics in 2025: SAAS 2025 was a mixed experience for Indian athletics. On one hand, star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra crossed the magical distance of 90 meters after a long wait, while on the other hand, many cases of doping came to light, which raised questions on the credibility of the sport. Neeraj achieved the distinction of becoming the third athlete in Asia and 25th in the world by throwing 90.23 meters in Doha Diamond League. However, he missed the medal in the final of the World Athletics Championship held in Tokyo and finished eighth.
Sachin Yadav shines in front of Neeraj Chopra
In the World Athletics Championship, young Indian athlete Sachin Yadav performed brilliantly and secured fourth place with a throw of 86.27 meters and left Neeraj behind and gave great hope for the future. Neeraj won three big events in the season like Paris Diamond League, Golden Spike Meet and Neeraj Chopra Classic held in Bengaluru. At the same time, hosting a world level event on home ground was like a dream come true for him. On the other hand, in the Diamond League final, he finished second behind Germany’s Julian Weber.
Many cases of doping came to light
However, the shine of the year faded due to doping cases. Several prominent Indian athletes have tested positive for doping, including Olympian javelin thrower Shivpal Singh, former Asian Games medalist discus thrower Seema Punia, half marathon winner Pradhan Vilas Kirulakar, sprinter Shekhar Dhanalakshmi and hammer thrower Manju Bala. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) also imposed a three-year ban on two minor athletes.
In a unique case, a pair of athletes and their coaches were banned for their involvement in doping. 18 year old Sanjana Singh and her coach Sandeep, who won two gold medals in the SAF Senior Championship in Ranchi, were temporarily suspended. Action was also taken against some coaches including former junior team coach Ramesh Nagpuri. India stood second in the list of global doping violations, which is a matter of concern.
However, the positive side was that India successfully hosted two World Athletics Continental Tour events, one of which Neeraj participated in and won. Bronze level competition was organized in Bhubaneswar. India also bid to host major events like 2031 World Championship, 2028 Asian Indoor Championship and 2026 Asian Relay. Overall, 2025 showed new heights for Indian athletics, but also underlined the need to take strict action on issues like doping. The coming year is full of hopes, where stars and young talents like Neeraj can bring new successes to the country.