Defending champion Neeraj Chopra’s dream of retaining his World Championships title came to a crushing end on Thursday in Tokyo. The two-time Olympic medalist had to settle for a disappointing eighth-place finish in one of the biggest shocks of the world meet, held at the Olympic Stadium — the very venue where he won his historic Olympic gold four years ago.

Chopra managed a best throw of 84.02m, far short of his personal best of 90.23m. The star javelin thrower looked visibly frustrated, letting out a roar of disappointment after being knocked out in the fifth round of the final.

The result marked a rare setback in Chopra’s glittering career. For the first time in seven years, he failed to win a medal at an international competition. It also ended his remarkable four-year streak of finishing in the top two at every major event he entered.

Meanwhile, Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan also endured a forgettable outing in Tokyo. The Tokyo Olympic medalist bowed out early, finishing 10th after a series of underwhelming throws, adding to the drama of a night full of upsets in men’s javelin.

More to follow.

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