Chopra finishes eighth as Walcott wins javelin world title in Tokyo

Neeraj Chopra’s bid to defend his world javelin title ended in disappointment on Thursday as the Indian two‑time Olympic medallist finished eighth at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott claimed gold. Chopra managed a best throw of 84.03 metres and was eliminated after the fifth round, denying him a place in the final sixth attempt and leaving India without a javelin medal on a night of upsets at the Japan National Stadium.

Walcott won with a season best 88.16m, producing the longest mark of the final in a wet, blustery evening. Grenada’s Anderson Peters, a two‑time world champion, took silver with 87.38m and the United States’ Curtis Thompson earned bronze with 86.67m. India’s Sachin Yadav emerged as a bright spot, finishing fourth with a personal best 86.27m on his first attempt, narrowly missing the podium.

Chopra, the defending world champion who had automatically qualified for the final after breaching the 84.50m qualifying standard, appeared short of his best form. He had advanced from qualifying with a mark of about 84.8m, then opened the final with throws in the low 80s before improving to 84.03m in the second round. He...