Yashvir Singh, Rohit Yadav deliver double javelin medals in Neeraj Chopra’s absence
India’s javelin throwers Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav stepped up in the absence of Neeraj Chopra, winning silver and bronze respectively at the Asian Games 2026. Yashvir saved his best for his final attempt, throwing a personal best 85.72m, while Rohit secured bronze with 84.35m.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage once again stood between India and gold, producing 88.55m for the title. The 23-year-old has been the dominant javelin thrower of 2026, with a world-leading 92.62m, a Commonwealth Games gold and the world No.1 ranking to his name.
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For Yashvir, the silver capped a rapid rise over the past few months. He had already announced himself at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where an 85.41m final throw earned him bronze and a personal best at the time. His 85.72m in Nagoya was another improvement, and this time it took him one place higher on the podium.
Rohit’s bronze was another important marker in his comeback. The Uttar Pradesh thrower had returned from a serious elbow injury and surgery to produce 87.05m at the National Inter-State Championships in June, becoming only the third Indian to cross 87m. That effort had also put him among the world’s leading throwers before the Asian Games.
The pair had been given greater responsibility after Neeraj, the defending Asian Games champion and two-time Olympic medallist, withdrew because of a ligament injury. They responded with India’s second double podium in the event at a major multi-sport competition this year, but Pathirage’s remarkable season continued.
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Pathirage’s gold was hardly an upset. He had already beaten Neeraj and Yashvir at the Commonwealth Games, throwing 89.75m to win gold while Yashvir took bronze with 85.41m.
Since then, the Sri Lankan has continued to produce numbers that have put him in a different bracket. His 92.62m in Rome made him the first man to cross 90m in 2026 and remains the world-leading mark. He also threw 92.07m in Zurich and 91.09m at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.
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