After two editions of glory, India draw blank at 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships

Tokyo [Japan], September 20 (ANI): Race walker Servin Sebastian finished in 31st spot in the men’s 20 km race walk to conclude India’s campaign at the World Athletics Championships without a medal on Saturday.

Sebastian was the last Indian in action during the Championships, finishing with a time of 1:23:03 in a 48-man field, as per Olympics.com. After Neeraj Chopra’s historic silver at the 2022 edition and a monumental gold in 2023, India has failed to secure a medal in the World Athletics Championships after two editions of history.

Also, it is Akshdeep Singh who holds the Indian national record in the 20 m race walk with a timing of 1:19:55, achieved at the 2023 National Open Race Walking Championships in Jharkhand.

The gold medal in the 20 km men’s race walk went to Paris 2024 silver medalist Caio Bonfim of Brazil after clocking 1:18:35, with the rest of the podium being completed by China’s Asian champion Wang Zhaozhao (1:18:43) and Spanish Olympian Paul McGrath (1:18:45).

India had sent a 19-member contingent for the Tokyo World Championships to compete for medals across 15 events.

The biggest highlight was Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic gold medalist failing to defend his world title in javelin throw and finishing at eighth spot with best throw of 84.03 m and ending his 26-event streak of top two finish. His compatriot Sachin Yadav, outclassed him with a fourth-place finish and falling short of a medal with best throw of 86.27 m.

Also, Sarvesh Kushare made history, becoming the first Indian jumper to qualify for finals of World Athletics Championships in his discipline and finished at sixth place with a personal best timing of 2.28m.

Pooja also secured her career-best timings of 2:01.03 in the women’s 800m, but with a bottom-place finish in her heats, she failed to reach finals.

Indian athletes have secured only three medals in the history of World Para Athletics Championships, with Anju Bobby George becoming the first Indian to claim a medal back in 2003 in the long jump, a bronze medal. Neeraj became the first male medalist at the championships 19 years later with a silver in javelin throw. Then in the next edition, he became the first Indian to secure the world championship gold at Budapest with the best throw of 88.17 m. (ANI)

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