Tokyo witnessed a rare sight on Thursday as Neeraj Chopra, India’s golden boy of javelin, finished eighth at the World Athletics Championships 2025 with a best throw of 84.03m. It was his worst performance in a global meet since 2018, when he was still a rising star on the international stage. Chopra, who had qualified strongly with an 84.85m throw in the preliminary round, struggled on the big day. His best of 84.03m came in the second attempt, but he could not progress beyond the fifth round. Later, he admitted to back issues that hampered his rhythm. The result shocked fans, given Chopra’s consistency in recent years, where he has rarely finished outside the top three at major competitions. For context, Chopra’s journey since 2018 has been one of near-flawless performances. He has an Olympic gold (2021), an Olympic silver (2024), World Championship titles, and multiple Diamond League victories. His throws have regularly breached the 85m mark, with a personal best of 90.23m achieved earlier this year in Doha. Yet Tokyo reminded everyone that even champions have off days. Below is a record of Chopra’s performances since 2018, which shows just how rare an eighth-place finish is in his career.
Neeraj Chopra’s Results (2018–2025)
| Year | Competition | Venue | Performance | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | CWG | Gold Coast | 86.47m | 1st |
| 2018 | Asian Games | Jakarta | 88.06m | 1st |
| 2018 | Zürich DL | Zürich | 85.73m | 4th |
| 2018 | IAAF Continental Cup | Ostrava | 80.24m | 6th |
| 2019 | (injury layoff) | – | – | – |
| 2020 | ACNW League Meet | Potchefstroom | 87.86m | 1st |
| 2021 | Tokyo Olympics | Tokyo | 87.58m | 1st |
| 2021 | Kuortane Games | Kuortane | 86.79m | 3rd |
| 2022 | World Championships | Oregon | 88.13m | 2nd |
| 2022 | Lausanne DL | Lausanne | 89.08m | 1st |
| 2022 | Zürich DL | Zürich | 88.44m | 1st |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest | 88.17m | 1st |
| 2023 | Asian Games | Hangzhou | 88.88m | 1st |
| 2024 | Paris Olympics | Paris | 89.45m | 2nd |
| 2024 | Lausanne DL | Lausanne | 89.49m | 2nd |
| 2025 | Doha DL | Doha | 90.23m | 2nd |
| 2025 | Meeting de Paris | Paris | 88.16m | 1st |
| 2025 | Ostrava Golden Spike | Ostrava | 85.29m | 1st |
| 2025 | Neeraj Chopra Classic | Bengaluru | 86.18m | 1st |
| 2025 | Zürich DL | Zürich | 85.01m | 2nd |
| 2025 | World Championships (Final) | Tokyo | 84.03m | 8th |
Chopra’s eighth-place finish is his worst since the 2018 IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava, where he placed sixth with 80.24m. Between then and now, he has medalled in almost every major competition. This result, while disappointing, might just be a minor setback for the 27-year-old. His season best of 90.23m in Doha earlier this year shows that he remains one of the sport’s elite throwers. For fans, Tokyo 2025 will be remembered not as a fall, but as a reminder that even the best must endure struggles to rise again.
