There were no elite facilities, sophisticated training programmes or a clear pathway to the top when 19-year-old Ashish Yadav took up javelin in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. He started out competing in village and district-level meets, using wooden javelins provided by a relative. At the time, Ashish had no idea where sport could take him.
His father sells milk back home. Growing up, Ashish wasn’t convinced that sport could become a career.
“Seeing my father sell milk, I didn’t have much confidence that I would be able to do something big. Initially, I thought I would just get a job,” Ashish said in a select media interaction facilitated by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
For a boy who once saw a job as the safest route to a future, the journey since then has been extraordinary. Ashish is now a World U20 silver medallist, having thrown 74.09m in the men’s javelin final in Oregon.
FROM 60M TO THE WORLD STAGE
The turning point came when Ashish moved to Hisar and began working with coach Arvind. It was there that his training became systematic and scientific. His official competitive journey also began after he started working with Arvind.
When he arrived, Ashish was throwing around 60 metres. He wasn’t thinking about world medals or senior championships. His target was much simpler: 70 metres.
The 70m barrier soon became a stepping stone. Arvind worked on Ashish’s technique, something the youngster admits he did not properly understand earlier. Strength training and gym work became part of his routine, while nutrition and recovery were brought into the picture.
His physical development followed. Ashish said he weighed around 65-66kg when he arrived in Hisar. He now weighs around 85kg.
The approach was not limited to throwing and lifting weights. His nutrition was monitored, his body composition was assessed and blood tests were conducted every three months.
For someone who had grown up without much knowledge of sports science, it was a completely different world. Back in Mirzapur, he had trained alongside friends such as Ganesh Yadav and Ankit Kumar, with limited guidance and little understanding of what went into preparing an elite athlete.
That process eventually took him to the world stage.
Ashish opened his World U20 final with a 69.96m throw, fouled his second attempt and then produced 74.09m on his third. That mark secured him silver behind South Africa’s Jan-Hendrik Heymans, who won with 80.50m.
His 2026 season best stands at 74.49m, achieved in Patiala in March.
DREAMS BEYOND HIMSELF
Ashish’s journey has also changed the way he looks at the children back home.
He believes Mirzapur has plenty of youngsters with the physical ability to excel in sport, but they need the right opportunities and environment.
“People in the village don’t know much about the sport. But the children there are strong. When I trained with them, they were physically very good. If they get the right opportunities and their parents keep them away from the wrong things, they can do very well.”
He also worries about the pressure placed on young athletes.
“The main thing is that there is a lot of pressure and people try to dominate the children. If they are given the freedom to focus on sport and do the right things, they can achieve a lot.”
Ashish is now entering a space where comparisons with India’s biggest javelin star are inevitable. Neeraj Chopra’s shadow looms large over every young Indian javelin thrower.
But Ashish isn’t interested in chasing someone else’s career.
“I can’t compare myself with him. If I want to work hard, how can I compare myself with someone like him? I just want to focus on my own work.”
Once, the dream was simply to throw 70 metres. Now, the 19-year-old from Mirzapur has a world medal and a bigger target ahead: qualifying for the Senior World Championships next year.
The wooden javelin was where his journey began. The world podium is only where the next chapter starts.
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