Who is Sachin Yadav? Indian Javelin thrower who pipped Neeraj Chopra

India's Sachin Yadav has pipped his compatriot Neeraj Chopra in the final of the World Athletics Championship 2025 as he finished just below the podum places in 4th with a personal best throw of 86.27m.  Defending champion Neeraj Chopra failed to make a mark in the stadium he once created history back in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as he finished at 8th spot with a best throw of 84.03m on the night.  Sachin made his World Athletic Championships debut on the global stage this year and qualified for the final with an 83.67m throw in the qualifying round, finishing 10th overall among qualifiers, and joined Neeraj Chopra in the final lineup. 

 

Who is Sachin Yadav?

 

Hailing from a farming family in Uttar Pradesh, the 25-year-old, who stands at 6 feet 5 inches, didn’t always dream of track and field glory. Like many young Indians, Sachin’s early passion was cricket, with icons like MS Dhoni and Jasprit Bumrah as his role models. 

 

However, it was a family member’s advice to explore athletics that opened a new chapter in his life. That pivot revealed his natural gift for the javelin, a discovery that would soon turn into national success.

 

National Dominance and Rapid Rise

 

Yadav made headlines in 2024 when he won gold at the 63rd National Open Athletics Championships in Bengaluru with a throw of 80.04m — his first time crossing the 80-meter mark. The following year, he went on to claim more gold medals at major domestic events, including:

 

2025 National Games (Dehradun) – 84.39m

 

2025 Federation Cup (Kochi) – 83.86m

 

These performances cemented his place as one of India’s most consistent and promising javelin talents.

 

The Neeraj Chopra Effect

 

As India’s first Olympic gold medallist in athletics, Neeraj Chopra has inspired a generation, and Sachin Yadav is no exception. Chopra’s influence is evident not just in results, but in the growing belief among young Indian athletes that they can compete — and win, at the highest level.

 

Now, with both Chopra and Yadav making the Indian Javelin contingent even more stronger, it is a sign of good things to come for the country.

 

Making a Mark Internationally

 

Sachin’s international debut came at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, where he stunned with a personal best of 85.16 meters, earning a silver medal behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. That throw placed him in elite company, only the fourth Indian ever to cross the 85m mark, after Chopra, Shivpal Singh, and Kishore Jena.

 

His qualification throw of 83.67m in Tokyo followed by a 4th place finish confirmed his consistency and readiness to take on the world's best in the years to come.