Pakistan’s Yasir wins javelin bronze but misses out on World Championship spot

Pakistan’s No2 javelin thrower Mohammad Yasir Sultan claimed a bronze medal at the Asian Throwing Championship but his performance fell short of the mark required to qualify for the upcoming World Championship.

Yasir needed a throw of 85.50 meters to book his spot at the global event set to begin in Tokyo on September 13. Despite having thrown over 80 meters in training before departing for Mokpo he could not replicate that form in competition.

Competing in hot conditions Yasir opened with a foul. He followed up with throws of 75.79m, 72.57m, and 72.88m before registering another foul in his fifth attempt. It was only in his final throw that he managed 77.43m, enough to secure the bronze and earn a place on the victory podium.

This marks Yasir’s second bronze at the continental level. He previously won bronze at the 2023 Asian Championship in Bangkok with a personal best throw of 79.93 meters.

However, since that performance, Yasir has struggled to find consistency. He failed to impress in the recent Asian Championship held in Korea as well as in the previous edition of the Asian Throwing Championship, also hosted in Korea. He had also finished fourth in the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

“I dedicate my medal to Pakistan,” Yasir said after the event.

Need for improvement

His coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari acknowledged the need for further development.

“We’ll need to work more on him to bring out his best. His body needs proper stimulation and we’ll focus on that. At least he made it to the podium and that’s still a positive,” Bukhari told Nukta from Korea.

Yasir’s continued inability to perform at major international events remains a concern. Despite showing strong performances in training, he has struggled to deliver when it matters even at the national level. Authorities will need to address this issue seriously, possibly by arranging overseas training to help him build mental toughness and competition composure.

The gold medal in the event went to Pathirage Rumesh Tharanga of Sri Lanka, who threw 82.05m. Despite making three consecutive fouls in his final attempts his earlier effort was enough to secure top spot. Tharanga’s personal best stands at 85.45m.

Japan’s Gen Naganuma claimed silver with a throw of 78.60m, falling short of his personal best of 80.58m.

With Yasir missing out on qualification for the World Championship, Pakistan's hopes now rest on Olympic bronze medalist Arshad Nadeem, who will represent the country at the global event in Japan next month.