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.
Poonam came agonisingly close to qualifying for the women’s javelin final at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2026, missing out by just one place after a dramatic finish to qualification.
Poonam opened with a throw of 48.81m, a mark that kept her firmly in contention for a place in the final. However, she was unable to improve on it, recording two consecutive fouls in her second and third attempts.
Her opening effort was enough to put her 7th in Qualification Group A and, for much of the qualification round, 12th overall — a position that would have secured the final qualifying spot.
But the qualification battle went down to the wire.
With Group B still completing its attempts, Slovenia’s Živa Križ, who was 12th in the throwing order, produced a crucial 49.22m on her final attempt.
That late effort lifted Križ into the top 12 and pushed Poonam down to 13th overall.
The Indian youngster was therefore left just outside the final despite a solid 48.81m opening throw.
It was a particularly painful exit for Poonam, who was just one position — and less than half a metre — away from making the World U20 final.
Amanat Kamboj has qualified for the women’s discus throw final at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2026 producing a season’s best throw of 52.58m to book her place among the world’s top young throwers.
The 19-year-old from Haryana finished sixth in Qualification Group A and 12th overall claiming the final qualifying spot for the championship final. Her 52.58m effort proved enough to edge into the 12-athlete field after the completion of both qualification groups.
Amanat, one of India’s leading junior throwers, delivered her best performance of the season when it mattered most. The throw highlighted the consistency that has made her one of the country’s brightest prospects in the discipline through a string of strong performances at the national junior level.
China dominated the qualification round, with Yixin Su topping the overall standings with a throw of 58.06m, while compatriot Chenyi Ma finished second overall after registering a season’s best 57.72m.
The World Athletics U20 Championships is the premier global competition for athletes under the age of 20 and has served as a launchpad for numerous future Olympic and World Championships medallists. A place in the final represents another significant milestone in Amanat’s development as she continues her transition towards the senior international circuit.
With qualification secured, Amanat will now turn her focus to the final, where she will look to build on her season’s best performance and challenge for a strong finish against the world’s best junior discus throwers.
India will have two representatives in the men’s javelin throw final at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2026, with Ashish Yadav and T. Dharanidharan successfully advancing from the qualification round.
Ashish Yadav produced a confident performance to finish second overall across both qualification groups, registering a best throw of 69.87m. His consistent display ensured a comfortable qualification and established him as one of the leading contenders heading into the final.
Joining him in the medal round is T. Dharanidharan, who secured the 12th and final qualifying spot with a best effort of 68.07m. The Indian thrower held his nerve in a closely contested qualification round to book his place among the world’s top junior javelin throwers.
The qualification competition was topped by South Africa’s Jan-Hendrik Heymans, who was the only athlete to surpass the automatic qualification standard, recording an impressive 76.02m to lead the field into the final.
India’s double qualification is a significant achievement, ensuring strong representation in one of the championship’s most competitive field events. With Ashish finishing second overall and Dharanidharan also progressing, the Indian contingent will have two opportunities to challenge for medals in the final.
Both athletes have demonstrated consistency throughout the season and will now aim to produce their best performances on the biggest stage in junior athletics. Ashish enters the final with momentum after one of the strongest qualification performances, while Dharanidharan will look to build on his successful progression and improve further in the medal contest.
With two Indian javelin throwers reaching the World U20 final, India continues to showcase its growing strength in the event at the junior level. The final promises to be an exciting contest as Ashish Yadav and T. Dharanidharan take on the world’s best young javelin throwers in pursuit of a podium finish.
Pathirage seized the gold medal with an authoritative, soaring throw of 89.75 meters, leaving a stunned field trailing in his wake. Long gone are the days when the event felt like a closed bilateral conversation. The young Sri Lankan phenom, whose meteoric rise this season has kept the athletics world on edge, delivered a super performance under pressure with poise. When the spear left his hand, it carried not just momentum, but a clear message to the old guard: a new titan has arrived to claim the throne.
India secured a commendable 2-3 podium finish, anchored by Neeraj Chopra’s silver. Chopra fought hard, posting a season-best of 85.83 meters, displaying the resilience of a seasoned champion who refuses to yield easily. Yet, sport is relentlessly unforgiving. It is a harsh theatre where you either fight back with everything you have or sit back and watch your crown being stripped away, one majestic throw at a time. Chopra understands this dynamic better than anyone, recognizing that the standards of global excellence have shifted upward once again.
The absolute surprise of the pack, however, came from further down the Indian ranks. Yash Vir Singh authored the fairytale script of the night, pulling out a stunning personal best of 85.41 meters in the final round. Singh unleashed the ace of his life when it mattered most, leapfrogging world-class contenders to capture a sensational bronze medal. It was a breakthrough moment that announced Singh as a formidable new force on the international circuit.
Further back, the narrative was defined by the shocking fall of former giants. Olympic Champion Arshad Nadeem had a night to forget, failing to even crack the top eight after a disjointed series of throws. Similarly, former Olympic Champion and present World Champion Keshorn Walcott laboured through the evening, muted and off-colour, eventually having to settle for a distant sixth place.
Jamaica’s Samantha Hall produced a commanding performance in the women’s discus throw final at Scotstoun Stadium to capture the gold medal. Canada’s rising talent Julia Tunks claimed silver, while India’s Seema Kaliramna completed a remarkable comeback by securing the bronze medal.
By Sundeep Misra
GLASGOW — Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi snatched a dramatic victory in the men’s shot put final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, launching a stunning fifth-round throw of 21.07 metres to dethrone defending champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand.
India will have three representatives in the men’s javelin throw final at the Commonwealth Games 2026, marking the first time ever that the country has qualified three athletes for the event’s medal round.
Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav and Yashvir all advanced to Friday’s (31 July) final after finishing among the top 12 performers in a challenging qualification round in Glasgow.
The qualification competition proved to be a test of resilience rather than distance, with strong headwinds preventing athletes from producing their best throws. As a result, no thrower managed to achieve the automatic qualification standard of 84.00m, meaning all finalists progressed based on their overall rankings.
Indian Qualification Results
- Neeraj Chopra – 79.61m (5th)
- Rohit Yadav – 78.37m (9th)
- Yashvir – 78.36m (10th)
Neeraj improved from an opening-round throw of 76.28m to 79.61m, comfortably securing his place in the final. Rohit also built on his first effort of 77.04m, adding more than a metre to finish with 78.37m, while Yashvir improved from 73.89m to 78.36m, ensuring all three Indians advanced.
Earlier in the competition, Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage led the field with an impressive 82.84m, while South Africa’s Douw Smit occupied second place with 80.64m after the opening round. Despite multiple attempts, no athlete was able to breach the 84-metre automatic qualifying mark as the headwind continued to hamper performances throughout the session.
Pathirage ultimately topped the qualification standings with his opening throw of 82.84m, the best mark of the day.
The historic qualification gives India three genuine contenders in the final, with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra leading the charge alongside the in-form Rohit Yadav and Yashvir, who produced one of the strongest performances of his international career to book his place.
The men’s javelin throw final will be held on 31 July, where India will aim to convert its unprecedented three-athlete representation into another Commonwealth Games medal.
India will field one of the strongest men’s javelin throw squads at the Commonwealth Games 2026, with Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav, and Yash Vir Singh set to represent the country in Glasgow. With three athletes ranked among the leading selected competitors this season, India enters the competition with genuine hopes of multiple medals.
Among athletes selected for the Commonwealth Games, Rumesh Pathirage of Sri Lanka tops the season list with an outstanding 92.62m. Close behind is Rohit Yadav, whose sensational 87.05m lifetime best ranks second among the selected athletes. His breakthrough throw has established him as one of the leading contenders heading into Glasgow.
Anderson Peters of Grenada occupies third with 86.38m, while Australia’s Cameron McEntyre has recorded 85.73m. Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra enters the Games with a season-best of 85.69m, placing him fifth on the selected list. Douw Smit of South Africa (84.79m) and Chinecherem Nnamdi of Nigeria (84.68m) are also among the top contenders, while Yash Vir Singh rounds out the top eight with a personal best of 83.76m.
India’s trio combines proven championship experience with emerging talent. Neeraj Chopra remains the country’s most accomplished javelin thrower and will once again lead the Indian challenge. Alongside him, Rohit Yadav and Yash Vir Singh have enjoyed breakthrough campaigns, producing career-best throws of 87.05m and 83.76m, respectively, to establish themselves among the Commonwealth’s leading performers.
A notable feature of the 2026 season is India’s remarkable depth in the event. India is the only nation with three athletes ranked inside the top eight among the selected Commonwealth Games competitors, underlining the country’s growing strength in men’s javelin throw.
With an experienced champion in Neeraj Chopra and two rapidly improving throwers in Rohit Yadav and Yash Vir Singh, India travels to Glasgow with one of the strongest javelin squads in the competition. If the trio reproduces its season-best form, the country will be well placed to challenge for top honours in one of the marquee field events of the Commonwealth Games.
For more visit Commonwealth Games 2026
India will be represented by Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Samardeep Gill in the men’s shot put at the Commonwealth Games 2026, with both athletes heading to Glasgow after impressive seasons that have strengthened India’s prospects in the event.
Leading the Indian challenge is Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who has enjoyed a strong return to form in 2026. The experienced shot putter has recorded a season-best of 21.03m, ranking him sixth among athletes selected for the Commonwealth Games. More importantly, Toor has crossed the 21-metre mark for the first time in two years, signalling an encouraging comeback ahead of one of the biggest competitions of the season.
Joining him is Samardeep Gill, who has emerged as one of India’s most promising young throwers. Samardeep produced a lifetime best of 20.46m, becoming a 20-metre thrower for the first time in his career. His breakthrough performance places him 12th among the selected Commonwealth athletes, underlining the steady progress he has made this season.
The competition in Glasgow is expected to be of the highest standard. New Zealand’s Tom Walsh leads the selected field with a world-class 21.82m, followed closely by Chukwuebuka Enekwechi of Nigeria at 21.74m. New Zealand’s Nick Palmer (21.19m) and Great Britain’s Scott Lincoln (21.16m) also enter the Games in strong form, while South Africa’s Aiden Smith (20.89m) and New Zealand’s Jacko Gill (20.64m) are among the other leading contenders.
India’s two representatives arrive with contrasting but equally encouraging stories. Toor brings experience and proven pedigree after returning beyond 21 metres, while Samardeep represents the next generation of Indian shot putting following his breakthrough season.
With Toor rediscovering his best form and Samardeep making rapid strides, India has a balanced combination of experience and emerging talent. Both athletes will be aiming to produce their best performances in Glasgow as they challenge a world-class field and seek to bring another Commonwealth Games medal home for Indian athletics.
For more visit Commonwealth Games 2026
