World Athletics Championship 2025 final: It was a tough evening in Tokyo for Neeraj Chopra, as the Olympic gold medallist and defending world champion finished 8th in the men’s javelin final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships. With a best throw of 84.03 meters, Neeraj was far from his usual dominant self and afterward, he didn’t shy away from sharing why.
“I have always tried to never give any excuses. The real reason is that I wasn’t able to train much due to back pain,” Neeraj said candidly. It was a rare glimpse into the physical toll that top-level sport can take, even on the most celebrated athletes.
This season had promised so much. Neeraj finally broke the 90-meter mark, a milestone he had been chasing for years but the consistency that once defined him never quite returned. The back pain, it seems, was a bigger hurdle than many realized.
🗣️ "I have always tried to never give any excuses. The real reason is that I wasn’t able to train much due to back pain," said Neeraj Chopra after failing to defend his title in the Men’s Javelin Final at the #WorldAthleticsChampionships.
Neeraj finished 8th in the final with a… pic.twitter.com/UmZNrHDKwe---Advertisement---— nnis Sports (@nnis_sports) September 18, 2025
Walcott Clinches Gold
While it wasn’t Neeraj’s night, it was a golden one for Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott. The 2012 Olympic champion produced a season-best throw of 88.16m to take the top spot on the podium, marking a triumphant return to form. Grenada’s Anderson Peters took silver with 87.38m, and the USA’s Curtis Thompson claimed bronze at 86.67m.
Sachin Yadav finishes 4th
Just shy of a medal but winning plenty of hearts was India’s Sachin Yadav. The 23-year-old threw a lifetime best of 86.27m, finishing 4th and missing bronze by just 40cm. It was a breakthrough performance that suggests Indian javelin is in good hands for the future.
For Neeraj, this wasn’t the ending he hoped for but his honesty and grit reminded fans why he remains one of India’s most respected athletes. The season may not have gone to plan, but with recovery and rest, the champion is far from done.
