Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Indian javelin ace Neeraj Chopra voiced disappointment after finishing eighth in the men’s final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, admitting the result was far from how he had envisioned closing out his season. Chopra, who was the defending champion heading to Tokyo 25 having won the gold medal in Budapest two years ago, registered an underwhelming best effort of 84.03m at the National Stadium in Japan to be placed eighth. The last time he had finished outside the top three was at the 2018 Continental Cup in Czechia, where he was placed sixth.
“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,” the two-time Olympic medallist wrote in an Instagram post. Neeraj’s streak of 26 podium finishes ended in Tokyo, but the event also proved there was much hope for future medals for India as 23-year-old Sachin Yadav stunned everyone by finishing a sensational fourth in his maiden outing in the World Championship, narrowly missing the bronze medal by a mere 40 centimetres.
London Olympic gold medallist Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott clinched gold with 88.16m, two-time champion Grenada’s Anderson Peters secured silver at 87.38m, and the USA’s Curtis Thompson took bronze with 86.67m. Neeraj further congratulated Sachin for his producing a personal best of 86.27m in the opening round to finish fourth and all the medal winners.
