Tokyo, Sep 18: Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott, the 2012 London Olympic champion, rolled back the years to clinch gold at the with a season's best throw of 88.16m.
Grenada's Anderson Peters (87.38m) and USA's Curtis Thompson (86.67m) joined him on the podium in a thrilling finale at the National Stadium, Tokyo.
Neeraj Chopra Misses Podium, Settles for Eighth
India's Neeraj Chopra, the defending world champion and reigning Olympic silver medallist, could not reproduce his big-stage magic, finishing a disappointing 8th with a best throw of 84.03m. Despite strong form earlier in the season, where he breached the 90m barrier, the 27-year-old struggled to find rhythm on the night.
The Panipat athlete qualified for the finals on the previous evening with a throw of 84.85m throw comfortably clearing
the automatic qualifying mark of 84.50m. Shockingly, he couldn't even replicate his qualifying round performance in the final.
Sachin Yadav the Silver Lining for Indian Javelin
The biggest positive for India came from Sachin Yadav, who finished 4th with a personal best throw of 86.27m. The youngster narrowly missed out on a historic bronze but showcased immense promise by holding his own against the world's elite. His performance was the best-ever by an Indian debutant at the World Championships. With this, India's journey in the 2025 World Championships comes to a medal-less end.
Arshad Nadeem's Off Day
Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic champion and Neeraj's fiercest rival in recent years, endured a tough outing, finishing 10th with a throw of 82.75m. Far from his Olympic-winning 92.97m mark in Paris 2024, Nadeem never looked in contention.
Weber Falters, Walcott Reigns
Pre-event favourite Julian Weber, this year's Diamond League champion and world number one, finished 5th with 86.11m despite entering the event as the season's best thrower at 91.51m. Walcott, however, rose to the occasion, producing his longest throw in three years to reclaim global spotlight.
Petersl, Thompson finish podium
While Walcott claimed gold, the silver medal went to Grenada's Anderson Peters, the two-time world champion who threw 87.38m to underline his consistency on the global stage. Peters, known for his powerful technique and ability to peak at big events, once again proved why he remains one of the sport's fiercest competitors. The bronze medal was secured by Curtis Thompson of the USA, who delivered 86.67m to clinch his first major international podium.
