Indian javelin ace Neeraj Chopra admitted that his eighth-place finish at the World Championships in Tokyo was far from the ending he had envisioned for his season. The Olympic and world champion, who has been nursing a back issue, vowed to return stronger after the break.
Back pain hampers performance
Chopra, who entered the championships as the defending gold medallist, managed a best of 84.03m before being eliminated in the fifth round on Thursday night. The 27-year-old later disclosed that he had been managing a back problem for the past two weeks but refused to use it as an excuse for his performance.
Sachin Yadav impresses on debut
While Chopra fell short of expectations, his compatriot Sachin Yadav produced a standout performance in his first major final. The 23-year-old threw a personal best of 86.27m in the opening round to secure fourth place, narrowly missing the podium. Chopra lauded Yadav for his spirited effort, calling it a proud moment for Indian athletics.
Walcott clinches gold
The gold medal went to Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott with a throw of 88.16m. Grenada’s Anderson Peters took silver with 87.38m, while USA’s Curtis Thompson claimed bronze with 86.67m.
Chopra promises comeback
“It’s not how I hoped to end the season,” Chopra wrote on social media. “I wanted to give my best for India despite the challenges, but it wasn’t my night. Congratulations to the medal winners and to Sachin for his personal best. This setback only makes me more determined to come back stronger.”
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