World Athletics C'ships 2025: Servin finishes 31st in 20km racewalk as Indian campaign ends

India's campaign at the 2025 World Athletics Championships came to a close on Saturday as Servin Sebastian finished 31st in the men's 20km racewalk in Tokyo.

Servin, the last Indian in contention in the global event, clocked 1:23.03s to finish the race.

It was nearly two seconds slower than his personal and season best of 1:21.14s recorded at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea in May this year.

Servin's display means that India end their campaign at the 2025 World Athletics Championships medalless.

This is the first time in three editions that Indian track and field stars return empty handed from the World Athletics Championships.

In the last edition at Budapest in 2023, Neeraj Chopra was crowned the men's javelin throw world champion. This was after he had won a silver the year before in Eugene.

In Tokyo, Chopra – India's best bet for a medal – finished a disappointing eighth in a surprising men's javelin throw final which saw the 2025 season leader Julian Weber as well as the reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem finish outside the podium.

India's Sachin Yadav impressed on his World Athletics Championships debut to finish fourth with a personal best distance of 86.27m in the men's javelin throw final.

Besides, Sarvesh Kushare starred for India in men's high jump with a sixth-place finish. He also registered a personal best 2.28m height in the final.

Pooja, in women's 800m, also registered a 2:01.03s in what was otherwise a disappointing campaign for India.