Indian athletes attribute their failure to secure gold at the Under-20 World Championships to injuries and insufficient practice.

Indian athletes made a notable impact at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships, securing three individual medals, yet for the medalists, the experience was tinged with a sense of missed opportunities. Ashish Yadav, who clinched a silver medal in the men’s javelin throw with a distance of 74.09 meters, expressed disappointment over his performance, attributing it to a lack of preparation and recent injuries.

During a media interaction in Delhi, Yadav reflected on his achievement, stating, “I felt very good, sir. We have won a medal for our country at the World Championships. It felt very good.” Despite his excitement, he acknowledged that his personal best of 74.49 meters was not reached, and he struggled to perform at his usual level due to being in rehabilitation for knee and hamstring injuries prior to the competition. “My throwing on ground had completely stopped before the competition,” he explained, emphasizing the challenges he faced leading up to the event.

Yadav's performance, while commendable, fell short of his expectations. He noted that even matching his personal best would have secured his second-place finish, and he aspires to join the ranks of Indian throwers who have surpassed the 80-meter mark. This championship marked only his second international outing, following a disappointing fifth-place finish at the Asian Under-20 Championships in May, making this silver medal a bittersweet achievement for him.

Similarly, Basant Meghwal, who competed in the high jump, shared his own frustrations after narrowly missing out on gold. He finished second to Algeria's Younes Ayachi, having cleared a height of 2.21 meters on his second attempt. “I was thinking about gold only but it didn’t happen. I am happy I matched my personal best, but if I had done so in my first attempt, I could have got gold,” he lamented, revealing that an attempt to clear 2.24 meters was hindered by pain in his ankle.

Shahnavaz Khan, who earned a bronze medal in the long jump, also faced challenges during his event. He achieved a best jump of 7.84 meters but began cramping after his third attempt, which limited his ability to perform at his peak. “My best normally is in the last three jumps only, but I was unable to push harder because of cramps. But I am confident of recovering well in time for the Asian Games,” he stated, looking forward to future competitions with optimism.