Indian athletics witnessed the rise of a new star, Sachin Yadav, as javelin thrower impressed with his remarkable fourth-place finish at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last week. The 25-year-old tall athlete from Uttar Pradesh, announced himself as a potential next big thing in the sport.
In a field stacked with global champions and legends of the sport, Sachin's performance in the final stood out. With his personal best throw of 86.27m, Sachin came agonisingly close just 40cm shy of a podium finish.
More significantly, he outperformed compatriot and defending champion Neeraj Chopra, who faltered on the night and finished eighth. Later, Neeraj revealed he was suffering from back Injury.
Sachin's consistency in Tokyo even left Uwe Hohn,
Neeraj's former coach, impressed and the German legend even backed the UP athlete to touch 95m mark, provided he gets the right guidance and works on his technique.
Sachin's story has the makings of a classic sporting tale. Growing up in modest surroundings, cricket was his first love until a neighbour, Sandeep Yadav a fellow thrower introduced him to the javelin.
With no formal coach in the beginning, Sachin - who is 6 feet 5 inches tall - relied on natural ability and a fierce determination to improve. Only last year did he come under the guidance of celebrated coach Naval Singh, the man behind stars like Shivpal Singh, Sumit Antil, and Navdeep Singh. The transformation since then has been striking for the Baghpat athlete.
His Tokyo debut showed the composure of a seasoned campaigner. Alongside his 86.27m effort, Sachin recorded throws of 85.71m, 84.90m, and 85.96m, proving both his consistency and his readiness for the highest level.
In doing so, he left behind some of the sport's biggest names, including reigning world champion and two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, Paris Olympics gold medalist Arshad Nadeem, and Diamond League winner Julian Weber.
This performance was no flash in the pan. Earlier this year, Sachin clinched a silver medal at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, with a throw of 85.16m, underlining his growing stature on the continental stage.
Speaking to myKhel after returning from his World Championships heroics, Sachin was both humble and determined. "The performance was good. I could have achieved more. The weather and conditions weren't ideal, but still, we did our best. I gave my best in all three throws. I even broke my personal best and threw over 85m three times. So, it was good to see those results. "
"I had only set the target to break my personal best, and I did that. So, I'm happy that the season ended with my personal best," he continued.
On handling challenges like weather, performing in the field full of javelin superstars and distractions, Sachin showed the mental clarity that sets champions apart. "There is no issue. It's just a mindset. We have to learn to adjust to any weather, and since competitions can happen in any country, we need to be prepared for it. "
Sachin Yadav may not have returned with a medal, but his fourth-place finish at the World Championships has put Indian javelin on notice: a new contender has arrived. With age on his side, the backing of an experienced coach, and an ironclad mindset, Sachin embodies the next chapter of India's throwing legacy. His journey is only beginning, and the future promises to be golden.
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