Ashish Yadav created history by winning the silver medal in the men’s javelin throw at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2026 in Eugene, becoming only the second Indian ever to win a medal in the event at the prestigious global age-group competition.
The young Indian produced a best throw of 74.09m to finish second, giving India its first medal of the championships. His achievement comes exactly a decade after Neeraj Chopra announced himself on the world stage by winning the World U20 javelin title in 2016, making Ashish only the second Indian after Neeraj to stand on the World U20 podium in the men’s javelin.
South Africa’s Jan-Hendrik Heymans dominated the competition with a world-leading throw of 80.50m to take the gold medal, while Dominica’s Addison James claimed bronze with a national U20 record of 73.89m.
Final standings:
Gold: Jan-Hendrik Heymans (South Africa) – 80.50m (World Lead)
Silver: Ashish Yadav (India) – 74.09m
Bronze: Addison James (Dominica) – 73.89m (U20 National Record)
Ashish’s silver-medal throw came in the early stages of the competition and proved good enough to keep him in medal position throughout. After three rounds, he had climbed to second place behind Heymans, with compatriot T. Dharanidharan lying fifth at 71.22m.
Remarkably, Ashish’s best effort was just 40cm short of his personal best of 74.49m, underlining the composure and consistency he displayed on one of the biggest stages in junior athletics.
The medal is another significant milestone for Indian javelin, a discipline that has enjoyed remarkable success since Neeraj Chopra’s breakthrough at the same championships in 2016. Ashish Yadav’s silver now adds another chapter to that legacy and reinforces India’s growing strength in the event at the global junior level.