Without Neeraj Chopra, Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav win javelin medals - The Indian Express
When Neeraj Chopra pulled out of the Asian Games weeks before, doubt settled over India’s men’s javelin. At the 2023 edition, India had finished first and second. Rohit Yadav was the only other thrower in the squad, and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Yashvir Singh was added at the last minute. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage was the clear favourite. The question was whether Rohit and Yashvir could deliver on the big stage without Neeraj.
On Sunday night, with rain pouring on the track at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya, they could not repeat the gold and silver of Neeraj and Kishore Kumar Jena. But both finished on the podium behind Pathirage, Yashvir with silver and Rohit with bronze.
“Recently I’ve won a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games also, and this is my second lifetime achievement, this silver medal. The competition was very difficult because Rumesh threw 88.55 metres and my throw was 85m. The weather is not so good so the javelin grip was very slippery when we were throwing,” Yashvir said after his win.
The slippery conditions did not stop him from producing a personal best of 85.72m, better than the 85.41m he threw in Glasgow to win Commonwealth Games bronze. It had not been easy getting there. After breaking the 80m mark in 2022, Yashvir got stuck throwing under 80m because of complications with his body. For two full seasons, 2023 and 2024, he could not cross it.
“I was genuinely struggling. I don’t know what was wrong. Probably it was the mental gap and I needed to play big competitions,” Yashvir had told The Indian Express before going to the Asian Games. “I had shoulder surgery also. It took me some time to regain my self belief. I would always look at Neeraj Chopra and think if he can do it, even I can.”
He kept grinding at the domestic level, competing more than 10 times in the 2025 season. “The regular grind and the competition level at the national meets really helped me in gaining that confidence,” he had said.
With 85.72m, Yashvir also cleared the 85.50m qualifying mark for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.
Rohit’s struggle was different. He was touted as the next big thrower after Neeraj, finished 10th at the 2022 World Championships and represented India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Then an injury took away his shot at the 2023 Asian Games and 2023 World Championships. Kishore Kumar Jena won the Asian Games silver, and Sachin Yadav finished fourth at the 2025 Worlds, ahead of Neeraj.
“I always thought about what happened to me. Injuries are part of an athlete’s life but seeing major tournaments go by while I was struggling was not a nice feeling,” Rohit had told this paper.
He came back slowly and steadily, and was having a fantastic 2026, with two throws beyond 87m, before hitting a roadblock at the Commonwealth Games.
“When I couldn’t finish on the podium at CWG, I thought, are we back to square one? But then I told myself that the Asian Games is a chance for me to redeem myself,” he said.
His 84.35m on Sunday was well short of his personal best. It was still his first medal at a multi-sport Games.
Pritish Raj works with sports team at The Indian Express' and is based out of New Delhi. ... Read More
