In Keshorn Walcott’s javelin World Championship title, 13 years after he won the Olympic gold at London and with nothing of note in the intervening years, lie the seeds of Neeraj Chopra 2.0. India’s finest individual Olympian with a gold and silver to his name, finished a lowly 8th at Tokyo World Championships, after striking sublime consistency for four years where Chopra won the Olympics, the World Championships, Asian and Commonwealth Games, Diamond League Finals, and finally nailed the 90.23 metres mark at Doha this year. But every sporting story needs conflict. So, both the Paris silver (a gold lost), and this eighth place at Tokyo Worlds could push the ace athlete to dig deep, reignite the drive to excel to return to the top, given he’s merely 27. His inspiration: Walcott, once the youngest Olympic champion in javelin at 19, now the second-oldest World winner at 32
Tokyo 2025 made for a compelling watch. Season’s best Julian Weber imploded, Diamond League legend Jakub Vadlejch and former World champion Julius Yego faded off, and reigning Olympic champ Nadeem couldn’t nail down a world title. All six continents were represented in what might be athletics’ most diverse final. Many seem to be writing off Neeraj Chopra. But in the resurrection of Walcott lies a message to the Indian champion’s naysayers. What do they know of sport, who only victory know?
