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India’s defending champion Neeraj Chopra suffered a rare setback, finishing eighth in the men’s javelin throw final at the World Championships with a best throw of 84.03 m on Thursday. The 27-year-old, a two-time Olympic medallist, struggled at the same Tokyo venue where he clinched historic Olympic gold in 2021. In contrast, debutant Sachin Yadav delivered a standout performance, achieving a personal best of 86.27 m to secure fourth place, outshining Chopra and other global stars.

Chopra’s campaign began with an 83.65 m throw, placing him fifth, followed by his best effort of 84.03 m in the second round. However, a foul in his third throw and an 82.86 m effort in the fourth saw him slip to eighth. Needing to surpass 85.54 m in his fifth attempt to stay in contention for the final round, Chopra fouled again, ending his competition early. The usually consistent athlete, who holds a personal best of 90.23 m from the Doha Diamond League in May, appeared visibly shaken after his exit.

Yadav, however, emerged as India’s bright spot, leading with an 86.27 m throw on his first attempt. His effort surpassed Germany’s Julian Weber (86.11 m) and Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem (82.75 m), who exited after the fourth round. Only the top six advanced to the final round, with Yadav representing India. The gold went to Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott (88.16 m), followed by Grenada’s Anderson Peters (87.38 m) and Curtis Thompson (86.67 m).

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No thrower breached the 90 m mark, marking a tightly contested final. Yadav’s fourth-place finish signals his potential as a rising star, while Chopra’s uncharacteristic performance raises questions about his form after a dip since his Doha peak. The event underscores India’s growing depth in javelin, with Yadav stepping up on the global stage.

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