New Delhi: Neeraj Chopra’s consistent performance and achievements on the international stage have turned javelin into a standout event for Indian athletics over the past four years.
His success has inspired the new generation of throwers, as four Indian javelin athletes are set to compete at the Tokyo World Championships from September 13 to 21.
Four Indian javelin athletes are set to compete at the Tokyo World Championship 2025
This marks the maximum number of entries allowed per country. Defending champion Neeraj Chopra received a wild card, while Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh, and Rohit Yadav qualified based on their world rankings. The qualification period ended on August 24, with the top 36 athletes making the cut.
Rohit who was ranked 37th, secured his spot following a withdrawal. This makes men’s javelin India’s most anticipated event in Tokyo. Although India’s presence in javelin has increased over the last three editions, the real test for the other throwers will be to match Chopra’s consistency on the big stage.
“Neeraj has broken all the barriers for us,” says Rohit Yadav, preparing for his second World Championships since Eugene 2022. While Chopra has been training under Jan Zelezny, the other throwers are coached by Russian two-time Olympic medallist Sergey Makarov.
“Everyone knows what we need to do and what we can achieve given the right resources and facilities. He has carved the path, and we just have to follow. Our standard has improved at the international level and in the coming years we hope to consistently hit 85-87m at major competitions.”
Kishore Jena and Manu DP also obtained qualification in Budapest in 2023. Jena placed fifth at the World Championships and won silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games with a throw of 87.54 meters, just behind Chopra’s 88.88 meters.However, his form declined last year, with a best of 80.73m at the Paris Olympics before undergoing ankle surgery. He has returned to competition but has yet to surpass 80m. Manu DP, meanwhile, faced a doping ban.
Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Sing have emerged as promising talent
This season has seen two new talents emerge. The tall and powerful Sachin has been the standout discovery of the year. At the Asian Championships in South Korea, he recorded a personal best of 85.16m, the entry standard was 85.50. He won silver while Pakistan Javelin star Arshad Nadeem secured the gold medal.
Ranked 20th in the Tokyo standings, Sachin has thrown over 83m four times this year, improving from 80.27m in 2023 and 82.69m in 2024. Yashvir also achieved his personal best of 82.57m at the Asian meet, having first crossed the 80m mark in 2022.
Rohit is the most experienced thrower after Neeraj Chopra
Rohit’s personal best of 83.65m came at the recent National Inter-State meet in Chennai. All emerging throwers can learn from Chopra’s remarkable consistency. He recorded 86.48m at the 2016 World U20 Championships and 88.16m to claim gold at the 2018 Asian Games, and finally joined the 90m club this year. What truly sets him apart is his ability to consistently deliver 88m-plus throws under all conditions at major events. His unmatched consistency has secured him back-to-back podium finishes at the Olympics and World Championships.
“If you take it step by step and maintain your level, you know you can achieve that distance in every competition,” Rohit says. “If you’re at 75-76m and suddenly jump 5-6m, it’s hard to sustain. You may get one odd 85m throw, but reproducing it every time is the real challenge. That only comes with gradual progression, when you understand your body, your training, and the adjustments needed to add distance. The important thing is mindset, diet, and how you plan your training.”
Rohit who is the most experienced thrower after Chopra understands the need to perform at his best in Tokyo.
“It is great to have four Indian throwers. Imagine, if all four qualify for the final! It would be such a big day for us. I’ve been training with this competition in mind. My focus will be to give my best in qualifying first.”
Rohit said: “I missed the last edition (2023) because of my injury (elbow). I want to give my best this time. I got my personal best this season… I wanted to breach the entry standard but am happy I have qualified through rankings.”
Story Highlights
- Neeraj Chopra has inspired the new generation of throwers, as four Indian javelin athletes are set to compete at the Tokyo World Championships from September 13 to 21.
- Defending champion Neeraj Chopra received a wild card, while Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh, and Rohit Yadav qualified based on their world rankings.
- This season has seen two new talents emerge. The tall and powerful Sachin has been the standout discovery of the year, while Yashvir Singh has also looked great in Asian meet.
- Rohit who is the most experienced thrower after Chopra understands the need to perform at his best in Tokyo.