Peters is first javelin competitor to surpass 90-meter mark three times at World Championships, becoming only two-time global gold medalist from Grenada to prevail against reigning Olympic champion Chopra and Tokyo runner-up Vadlejch

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Jan Zelezny has no equal in the men’s javelin throw as the world record holder, along with being a three-time Olympic gold medalist and winner of three global titles.

But as the Czech Republic legend watched Saturday at the World Athletics Championships, the 56-year-old Zelezny witnessed Anderson Peters of Grenada matching one of his career achievements and surpassing another at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Peters became the first male javelin competitor since Zelezny in 1993 and 1995 to repeat as World champion, making additional history by becoming the only athlete to produce three 90-meter throws in the same series at the global final, including a sixth-round effort of 297 feet (90.54m) to punctuate the gold medal.

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Neeraj Chopra of India, the reigning Olympic champion, was second with a fourth-round performance of 289-1 (88.13m) and Tokyo runner-up Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic took third with a 289-foot mark (88.09m) on his third attempt. American Curtis Thompson was 11th with a first-round effort of 257-2 (78.39m).

“I feel pretty good to be able to defend my World Championship title,” Peters said. “Coming from not making the Olympic finals last year to defending the World title and having three throws in the final over 90 meters, I’m really grateful for that and I just want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported me and thank God for the ability to perform this well.”

Peters, 24, dealt with several injuries last season and finished 15th during the qualifying round in Tokyo with a mark of 263-10 (80.42m), not enough to advance to the championship.

But he arrived in Oregon having surpassed the 90-meter mark in three meets this season, including a lifetime-best 305-4 (93.07m) in May in Doha that elevated Peters to the No. 5 all-time competitor.

Still, Peters had never achieved the level of consistency he did Saturday, opening his series with a 295-11 (90.21m) effort, before following with a 296-9 (90.46m) mark on his second attempt.

“I just wanted to go out there and enjoy the event and to put on a show,” Peters said. “Physically, I felt like I was OK. The conditions, most of the throwers prefer the wind from behind, but today we had a headwind. So it was a bit challenging today, but I pulled it off. It was not really important to beat anyone, but it was good to go there and have fun.”

One night after Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber became the first female javelin competitor to secure back-to-back World titles at age 30, Peters joined Zelezny as only the second male athlete in the event with multiple championships.

Peters also became the only two-time World gold medalist in any event in his country’s history after Kirani James captured the first global crown in the 400 meters in 2011 in South Korea.

“To defend the title is not an easy task. I had to push myself,” Peters said. “The last attempt, I already knew I was a champion, but I was working on my technique in every throw and I finally got it through.”

Peters also joined Zelezny and Germany’s Johannes Vetter as the only javelin competitors to produce at least three 90-meter performances in the same series in any meet. Vetter was the last athlete to achieve the feat in 2017 in Switzerland, and Peters had only previously produced a pair of 90-meter efforts in the same competition in May in Qatar.

“I’m healthy this year. That’s the main difference,” said Peters, who has dealt with only minor back and shoulder pain this season. “I’m a lot healthier than I was the year before.”

Chopra, who ranks No. 22 all-time with his 295-1 (89.94m) performance June 30 in Sweden, overcame a sluggish start to remain in contention entering the final two rounds. But a pair of fouls on his final attempts resulted in a runner-up finish and the first medal for a male athlete from India at the World Championships after female long jumper Anju Bobby George took third in 2003.

“I have to congratulate Peters and Jakub. It was a huge throw over 90m,” Chopra said. “In the first three throws, I did not feel good. My warmup was not good. I felt something in my groin during the throw but I think it is OK. It was a good experience today.”

Vadlejch, who was being supported throughout the competition by Zelezny, followed his silver medals from 2017 in London and last year’s Tokyo Olympics with bronze. He started well with three consecutive throws surpassing the 85-meter mark, before losing momentum in the championship rounds.

“I felt very good from the start of the competition. I managed to improve step by step. I still felt that I was able to improve even more,” Vadlejch said. “But then, in the middle of the competition, I felt like I lost some energy and I could not find the power for the technical improvement to throw even further. But still, the competition was great and the throws felt great. When you throw the 88m, of course it costs you some work. But the work of the upper part of the body was not perfect. I have to work on it in the future. But the 88m throw always counts.”

Vadlejch, who ranks No. 16 in javelin history, surpassed the 90-meter mark for the first time in his career in Doha with a 298-2 (90.88m) performance in Doha to finish second behind Peters.

“I am glad I can fight for the medals with the best of the world,” Vadlejch said. “Maybe one day, I will be on the top of the podium, too.”

After 13 of the first 14 men’s javelin World titles were won by European athletes, three of the past four have been secured by Julius Yego from Kenya and Peters. In addition, two of the past three Olympic gold medalists are also from countries outside Europe, with Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago in 2012 and Chopra last year.

“I think Keshorn had a lot to do with that, coming in and winning the Olympic gold medal in 2012, and I think that opened the eyes of a lot of countries outside of Europe that the possibility of winning medals in this event is really good,” Peters said. “And Julius Yego winning the World Championship, that even opened people’s eyes even more. I think a lot more people now are involved in javelin and not just the Europeans anymore.”

Peters and Chopra are scheduled to square off again Aug. 7 in the Commonwealth Games final in Birmingham, England. Chopra prevailed in 2018 in Australia, with Peters taking third.  

“I always enjoy throwing with my friends in competition,” Chopra said. “They are all great sportsmen.”