Indian athletics is at a crossroads. Over the past three years, the country has witnessed both its greatest triumphs and its most sobering reality checks.
Tokyo 2025, the site of India’s lowest number of World Athletics Championship finalists in recent memory, forces us to ask hard questions about whether Indian sport is truly building a sustainable foundation or continuing to ride the brilliance of a few extraordinary individuals.
From Eugene to Tokyo: A Three-Year Journey
The trajectory of Indian athletics from 2022 to 2025 tells a compelling story.
- Eugene 2022 marked the beginning of real depth, with seven finalists across events. Neeraj Chopra’s silver in javelin was historic, but equally important were the appearances of Avinash Sable (steeplechase), M. Sreeshankar (long jump), Eldhose Paul (triple jump), and Annu Rani (javelin). For the first time, India seemed to be diversifying.
- Budapest 2023 became the high-water mark. Neeraj Chopra won India’s first-ever World Championship gold. Three Indian javelin throwers Neeraj, DP Manu, and Kishore Jena reached the final, while the men’s 4x400m relay team stunned the world by making the final and breaking the Asian record. Six finalists across multiple events suggested momentum.
- Tokyo 2025, however, offered a sharp contrast. Only three Indians reached the finals: Neeraj Chopra and Sachin Yadav in the javelin, and Sarvesh Kushare in the high jump. The men’s 4x400m relay team, the pride of 2023, failed to qualify. Sreeshankar, Annu Rani, and other recent finalists fell short.
This decline isn’t just a “bad year.” It’s symptomatic of deeper systemic issues.
The Reliance on Individual Brilliance
India’s biggest success story remains Neeraj Chopra. His Olympic gold in 2020 and World Championship gold in 2023 turned him into a global icon. But his rise has been fueled largely by individual dedication and world-class coaching partnerships, especially with German biomechanics expert Klaus Bartonietz.
The Tokyo 2025 Worlds showed the fragility of such reliance. Bartonietz, now coaching Trinidad’s Keshorn Walcott, guided him to the gold medal ironically against Neeraj. This highlighted how much India’s fortunes can hinge on retaining a single coach. When systems depend on individuals rather than structures, sustainability is always at risk.
Meanwhile, Sachin Yadav’s 86.27m throw to finish fourth was a silver lining, showing that new talent can emerge. Similarly, Sarvesh Kushare’s sixth place in high jump was India’s best-ever result in the event. But these positives stand out against a backdrop of regression elsewhere.
Government Schemes: Progress with Gaps
Two flagship initiatives dominate India’s athletics policy:
TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme): Designed to fund elite medal prospects, it has supported international training camps, equipment, and stipends. However, after Paris 2024, the scheme controversially cut its “core group” from 120 athletes to just 42. While meant to ensure accountability, it risks narrowing the pipeline and neglecting future talent.
Khelo India: Aimed at grassroots development, it has helped identify young athletes and contributed to India’s medal haul at the Asian Games. But its implementation struggles with lack of infrastructure in rural areas, funding delays, and an alarming coach-to-athlete ratio of 1:114. Many promising athletes drop out before reaching senior level.
These programs have vision but suffer from weak execution. The gap between junior success and senior consistency remains India’s biggest challenge.
Global Models and Lessons
Other countries offer valuable insights:
China’s centralized model excels in discipline and resources, but risks rigidity and burnout. India could learn from their organizational efficiency without replicating the over-specialization.
Jamaica’s decentralized sprinting ecosystem thrives on school competitions like “Champs” and professional clubs that nurture talent. India lacks such a competitive domestic circuit in athletics.
Kenya’s long-distance running success leverages geography (high-altitude training) and community-based systems. India, with its diverse terrain, could similarly build regional centers of excellence for throws, endurance, or jumps.
At junior levels, India is producing promising athletes. The 2025 Asian U18 Championships saw 11 medals, including javelin gold for Himanshu Jakhar and high jump silver for Devak Bhushan. At the World U20 Championships 2024, athletes like Aarti (bronze in 10,000m walk) and Sharuk Khan (national U20 record in steeplechase) showed potential.
But history tells us many juniors fade away due to lack of structured support, limited coaching, and financial struggles. Without reform, today’s promising juniors may never transition to consistent senior-level performers.
For India to move beyond sporadic brilliance, systemic change is essential. Key steps include:
Tiered Athlete Support: Expand TOPS into a layered structure. A “core” for medal contenders and a larger “developmental” pool to ensure continuity. Funding cuts shouldn’t derail careers.
Coaching Revolution: Increase the pool of qualified coaches by revamping education, offering better pay, and encouraging retired athletes to coach. Reliance on a handful of foreign experts must end.
Decentralized Centers of Excellence: Establish regional hubs tailored to geography altitude centers for runners, coastal regions for endurance, and traditional strongholds for throws.
Stronger Private Partnerships: Organizations like OGQ and Reliance Foundation must be empowered with transparent frameworks to supplement government support.
Accountability and Transparency: Tackle doping with grassroots education and ensure funds reach athletes quickly through digital systems to avoid dropouts.
Tokyo 2025 was not a disaster, but it was a wake-up call. The drop from seven finalists in 2022 to just three in 2025 reflects a troubling dependence on individual stars. India has the talent, as Sachin Yadav and Sarvesh Kushare proved. But without structural reform, these stories will remain isolated.
Neeraj Chopra’s era has inspired a generation, but inspiration must be backed by institutions. If India truly wants to establish itself as an athletics powerhouse, it must invest in depth, build sustainable systems, and embrace both state and private initiatives.
The paradox is clear: India can reach the top of the world but can it stay there? The answer depends on whether this moment sparks serious reform or becomes another missed opportunity in the long history of Indian sport.
