Yasir now targeting World Championship

LAHORE: Having failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics despite getting a silver medal in the Asian Throwing Championship in South Korea last week, Pakistan’s No 2 javelin thrower Mohammad Yasir Sultan now targets World Championship scheduled to be held in Tokyo from September 13-21, 2025.

“Yes, unfortunately due to tough conditions in Korea I could not qualify for the Paris Olympics but this is not the end. Several major events are ahead and I am targeting the next year’s World Championship,” Yasir told ‘The News’ in an informal chat after returning from Korea.

“I am not disappointed as I tried my best. I will try to pull off what is the best in me in future events especially the World Championship,” Yasir said. “I was winning gold in Korea but Sri Lankan athlete managed his personal best in the last stage which forced me to finish with silver,” Yasir said.

In windy conditions at the venue located on the bank of the sea in Mokpo Yasir had to face issues due to tough conditions before managing a solid throw of 78.10 metre throw which eventually gifted him silver medal. However it was not enough as he needed a throw of 85.50m to qualify for the Paris Olympics to be held in July-August.

This was also the second medal from Yasir at the Asian level. He last year had also snared bronze in the Asian Championship in Bangkok with his personal best throw of 79.93m. Yasir needed to get at least three events for the Olympics qualification during the last few months.

According to sources, Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) wanted to send him to an event in China early this June but visa issue impeded his cause. This left him with a single and do-or-die chance to press for the Paris Olympics seat but he failed to achieve his target in Mokpo.

“Definitely there are events ahead; let’s see what federation tells plans for us,” Yasir said. Yasir was regarded as a solid athlete to qualify for this year’s Paris Olympics. This correspondent understands that he had managed a very good throw during training ahead of the Korea’s qualifier where he finished beyond the Olympics standard throw.

He had also finished fourth in the last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games. His coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari said that Yasir could have managed a huge throw in Korea but small things obstructed him in tough conditions.

“Definitely conditions were very tough as strong wind was blowing. Although he failed to manage a major throw but still its fine that he got a silver medal. He was winning gold but the Sri Lankan in end produced his best throw to get gold,” Bukhari said.

However he said that Yasir has been developed and he may produce big throw anytime in future.

“Yasir is now a valuable product. I have worked on him and he will do wonders in future,” said Bukhari, who also had guided the country’s premier athlete and world silver medallist Arshad Nadeem to Tokyo Olympics. Besides next year’s World Championship Yasir also will get a golden chance to produce his best in the 14th South Asian Games which Pakistan will host early next year.