The 2025 Asian Athletics Championships is scheduled to take place from today (27th) to 31st May in Gumi, South Korea, promising thrilling contests across various events. With several rising stars ready to shine, the most exciting event for Indian fans will be the men’s javelin throw, which has gained immense popularity ever since Neeraj Chopra showcased his prowess to the world. The fan following of javelin throw in India grew even more after Neeraj clinched medals at the Olympics and World Championships.
Arshad vs Neeraj has always been a battle that glued every Indian and Pakistani to their screens. As Neeraj Chopra is skipping the tournament due to a busy schedule and workload management, all eyes will now be on India’s second-best thrower of the season, Sachin Yadav. Making his international debut at the Asian Athletics Championships, he will look to challenge Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic gold medallist, in Neeraj’s absence.
A Clash of Experience and Potential
Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic gold medallist, will open his 2025 season at the Asian Athletics Championships. He made history last year at the Paris Olympics with a monstrous throw of 92.97m in the final—an Olympic and Asian record. Now he has his sights set even higher and has openly said he is targeting the 100m mark this year.
On the other side is Sachin Yadav, a 6’5” tall and muscular Indian thrower with a body frame similar to Arshad Nadeem. Yadav has impressed everyone with his performances this year and is now looking to improve his personal best in Gumi. The 25-year-old began his 2025 season with a gold medal at the National Games in February, where he threw 84.39m—a new National Games record. He continued his form with a strong performance at the Federation Cup in Kochi, throwing 83.86m.
Sachin suffered a minor ankle injury earlier in the season during the National Games, where he slipped during his second throw. However, he has recovered well and is now aiming to breach the World Championships qualifying mark of 85.50m. A strong performance in Gumi could earn him a direct ticket to the World Championships in Tokyo.
A Wide-Open Field
The absence of Neeraj Chopra makes the javelin competition even more open. While Arshad Nadeem brings experience to the field, Sachin’s fresh energy and recent form make him a serious contender.
But it’s not just a two-man race. Two Sri Lankan throwers, Rumesh Tharanga (85.41m) and Sumedha Ranasinghe (85.78m), have also had excellent seasons and are strong contenders for the gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships.
Yashvir Singh, another Indian thrower, is ready to make his mark in Gumi alongside Sachin Yadav. Yashvir, who struggled with injuries last season, made a strong comeback this year. At the Federation Cup 2025, he finished second with a best attempt of 80.85m, which helped him secure a spot at the Asian Athletics Championships.
India’s Recent Success in Javelin at the Asian Athletics Championships
India has performed well in men’s javelin throw at recent Asian Championships. In 2017, Neeraj Chopra won gold with a strong throw of 85.23m, and Devinder Singh Kang took bronze. Shivpal Singh won silver in 2019 with a throw of 86.23m, missing gold by just a few centimetres. Manu DP added another silver in 2023 with a throw of 81.01m, finishing behind Genki Dean of Japan. This time, Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Singh will look to add their names to that list.
High Hopes for a Big Throw
The winning throw in 2023 was just 83.15m by Genki Dean of Japan, but this year the field looks much stronger. With multiple throwers crossing 85m this season and Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem in action, javelin fans can expect big throws and a thrilling contest.
On 31 May in Gumi, all eyes will be on Arshad and Sachin. Will the Olympic champion dominate again? Or will the young Indian thrower cause an upset?
Men’s Javelin Final – 31 May, 1:30 PM IST