Walcott tops a major podium after 13 years with javelin gold at the worlds

TOKYO (AP) – Keshorn Walcott was the Olympic gold medalist in the javelin 13 years ago in London, and a bronze medalist four years later in the Rio de Janeiro Games.

But it’s been been a struggle ever since for him to shine again on the big stage – until Thursday.

Walcott, from Trinidad and Tobago, won the world championship in Tokyo with a throw of 88.16 meters, his best of the season.

Anderson Peters of Grenada – a two-time world champion – took silver (87.38) and Curtis Peterson of the United States the bronze (86.67).

Walcott laughed when asked about his absence from major podiums.

“Where have I been? I’ve been trying. That’s where I’ve been,” he said. “I’ve been trying to attain this medal for 13 years. I’ve been here man. It’s been a long 13 years. And tonight is finally my night once again.”

He said the medal completed his collection alongside the Olympic gold.

“I’ve been so persistent and finally I’ve come back and now attained that medal that I’ve been missing for all these years.”

The final was expected to be a showdown between 2021 Tokyo Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India and Paris Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan.

Chopra finished eighth and Nadeem was 10th.

“I don’t know what happened,” Chopra said. “I had a back issue two weeks ago and I didn’t tell anybody. I was thinking I could still throw far – but no.”

Walcott, who was seventh in last year’s Paris Games, hired a new coach late last year – German Klaus Bartonietz. Bartonietz coached Chopra previously, and Walcott said he might be the difference.

“That’s maybe the reason I’m here today,” he said.

Walcott ran through a list of injuries. He tore an Achilles warming up in the worlds two years ago – five minutes before the final. He added various ankle injuries.

“It’s javelin. You’re always going to have something,” he said. “You’re not going to be on the top every day. It’s been a long journey with world championships. Tonight was the night that everything came together and it happened.”