Kenya’s javelin star Julius Yego, the 2015 World Champion and African record holder, continued his promising comeback with a strong second-place finish at the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in India last night.
The 36-year-old threw an impressive 84.51 metres marking his season best, just behind India’s Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra, who claimed victory with 86.18 metres.
This performance also marked a great improvement from his previous win in Finland where he recorded a 82.95m throw at the Motonet Grand Prix which he had also improved on a fifth-place finish at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, where he threw 78.74 m. This steady improvement in recent competitions signals renewed determination this season
With one eye firmly on the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo this September, Yego is aiming not just for another global medal, but also for a return to his best form. He dreams of surpassing his African record and personal best of 92.72 metres, and rejoining the exclusive “90-metre club” that he last entered a decade ago.
Yego’s injuries and form struggles in recent years have derailed his athletics journey culminating in some below par performances, but he is now hitting form at the right time indicating he can still challenge the elites.
Tokyo will see Yego face fierce competition from some of the world’s best throwers, including Germany’s Johannes Vetter, who boasts a 97.76-metre throw from 2020, and India’s Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic champion from 2021. The men’s javelin world record of 98.48 metres, set by Jan Železný in 1996, still stands as the ultimate mark of excellence in the discipline.
Yego’s resurgence is not just about distances, but also about inspiring the next generation of Kenyan and African throwers. His perseverance and passion for the sport have made him a role model, proving that with hard work and belief, even athletes from non-traditional javelin nations can compete with the best.
As he nears his 37th birthday, Yego remains focused on finishing his career on a high, with Tokyo offering the perfect stage for another shot at glory.
