Tokyo Men's Javelin

Mettle for the Medal

Curtis Thompson Wins Historic Bronze

by Mark Cullen

The men’s javelin competition was not quite what most expected. With 7 of the 12 finalists entering with PBs over 90m, surely a contest of exceptionally long throws would break out.

Surely it would take 90m to medal.

Nope. Not tonight.

Instead, a packed stadium was treated to a terrific competition of another kind: tight, tense, taut – and not helped by the rain that made an otherwise welcome appearance after a week of brutal heat and humidity.

There was not a single throw over 90m.

However, throwing far early sealed the medals deal.

Surprisingly, Curtis Thompson (US) led after the first round at 86.67. This from a country that last medaled in 2007.

“I expected 90m to take a medal,” Thompson said. “So was I satisfied with that mark? Of course, it was a great mark and I tried my best to build on it. It worked out!”

Curtis Thompson, US

Bronze Medalist, Javelin

photo by Mattia Ozbot for World Athletics

2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott (87.83) of Trinidad and Tobago, and two-time (2019 and 2022) World champion Anderson Peters (87.38) of Grenada, established themselves in gold and silver positions in the second round.

Then it was a long evening for Thompson to see if he would become the first US men’s javelin medalist in 18 years.

The only substantive change in the last four rounds was that Walcott increased his lead with a tremendous 88.16 in the 4^th, but this did not alter the ultimate order.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was that 2025 yearly list leader Julian Weber (Ger) finished 5^th at 86.11m when he brought in a season’s best of 91.51.

It was sad to see Julius Yego (Ken) out after three rounds with a recurrence of the groin injury that plagued him in 2016, the year after his historic World title as the first African man to win.

But he withdrew from the competition before it got worse, having learned in ’16 how long this injury could linger.

“The future is good,” Yego said, and he was pleased have thrown over 85m  (85.54 in 6^th place) before the injury struck. “I was feeling I could have done even better than that.”

India’s Sachin Yadav picked a great day to set a PB; he finished 4^th only 40 centimeters behind Thompson.

Thompson, a soft-spoken high school track coach from Alabama, is currently unsponsored; perhaps this medal will earn him a sponsorship from one of the sport’s ladles of largesse.

“This means a lot,” said Thompson. “I’m hoping this continues to change the kind of standard that’s here in the US for javelin. I’m excited for the future of US javelin because this is just going to continue to grow.”

“I’m extremely happy to throw well and bring home the World bronze. I was not the favorite but I always believe in me.”

 

*Thanks to the terrific World Athletics flash quote crew for the concluding remarks by Thompson.