After personal best at inter-state meet, javelin thrower Rohit Yadav buoyant ahead of possible World Championships qualification

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Rohit Yadav earlier this month at the Indian Open World Athletics Continental meet in Bhubaneswar, Rohit finished fourth with an 80.35m throw, giving him confidence. (Express Photo by Pritish Raj)

Returning from an elbow injury, javelin thrower Rohit Yadav clinched the national title at the inter-state meet with a personal best of 83.65m in Chennai on Sunday. It may be enough to make the cut for the Tokyo World Championships via the rankings quota, but he will have to wait for the final list.

“I wanted to breach the direct qualification mark of 85.50m as my body was feeling good, but it didn’t come. But I am happy that I achieved my personal best,” Rohit said after the event.

He had a solid outing at the Nationals in a quality field including World Championships-bound Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Singh along with latest 80m club entrant Shivam Lohakare. Rohit’s first two throws were under 80m – 77.31m and 79.67m – but in his third attempt, he set the third-best mark by an Indian in the season behind reigning World champion Neeraj Chopra and Sachin.

“My coaches were confident about me. I didn’t start well as the javelin gained elevation resulting in below 80m throws. After that, coach Sergey Makarov asked me to throw flat and I followed that which resulted in two 82m-plus throws,” Rohit said. “The idea was to put on a good show in the World Continental tour and inter-state, so that I get a shot at Worlds berth.”

After returning from injury, Rohit had a sub-par 2024 season but he was gauging how his body was shaping up after rehabilitation. He started 2025 with a silver medal at the National Games in Uttarakhand (80.47m) but his performances stagnated after that. But earlier this month at the Indian Open World Athletics Continental meet in Bhubaneswar, Rohit finished fourth with an 80.35m throw, giving him confidence.

“At the continental meet also, one of my throws was close to 84m but it was deemed a foul. Neeraj bhai texted me saying that it was a good throw. So, I know that I will do well here,” he said.

Rohit’s mark and the gold medal at the inter-state meet will earn him valuable ranking points that can push his case for World Championships as 36 athletes qualify for the event. India has four quotas this year given Neeraj has qualified directly by the virtue of being the defending champion.

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Currently training under Russian Makarov, a former world champion, and his long-time coach Prabir Singh, Rohit had an elbow injury right before 2023 World Championships and missed not only the World Championships but also the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“The pain keeps coming back but the good throws give me confidence and energy. Injuries and pain are part of the game and every athlete has to fight them,” he said.

World Athletics will publish the final list of participants by the end of the week. At the 2022 World Championships, Rohit made it to the 12-man final finishing 10th with a best throw of 78.72m.

“I have the experience of competing at the World level. If I get a chance, I will put more effort into it, fingers crossed,” he added.