New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) India’s javelin campaign for the Commonwealth Games 2026 has suffered a significant setback, with World Championships finalist Sachin Yadav confirming that he has withdrawn from the multi-sport event due to an elbow injury that is expected to require surgery.

The development comes after months of discomfort for the 23-year-old, who has struggled to replicate the form that established him as one of India’s leading athletics stars last year. The injury, which has troubled him since the Indian Athletics Series-3 in New Delhi, worsened following his appearance at the Rome Diamond League and has now forced him to step away from competition.

“I’m still injured, so I have withdrawn. I don’t know how long the rehabilitation process will take, as I need to undergo surgery. The exact date of the surgery has not been decided yet, and the discussion is still on. The Athletics Federation of India (AF) will discuss and recommend, and the surgery will happen whenever they give the go-ahead,” Sachin told IANS.

The uncertainty surrounding the surgery and recovery timeline also casts doubt on his participation in the upcoming Inter-State Athletics Championships. Scheduled later this month in Bhubaneswar, the meet carries added significance as it serves as a key qualification event for the 2026 Asian Games.

Should Sachin miss the competition, his hopes of securing a place in India’s Asian Games squad could face a major obstacle.

The injury has coincided with a challenging start to the season for the Indian thrower. After consistently competing among the world’s elite in 2025, Sachin has crossed the 80-metre mark only once in three competitions this year. His most recent outing came at the Rome Diamond League, where he was unable to breach the 80m barrier. After opening with a foul, he recorded throws of 79.18m, 77.02m, 76.62m, and 75.54m, with 79.18m his best effort of the evening.

The performance mirrored his result at the Federation Cup 2026, where he managed 79.07m, marking consecutive competitions below the 80m mark.

The dip in form stands in sharp contrast to a breakthrough 2025 campaign that transformed Sachin into one of the brightest prospects in the world javelin. He produced a personal best throw of 86.27m during the season and finished fourth at the World Athletics Championships, narrowly missing a podium finish as he announced himself on the global stage.

His withdrawal from the Commonwealth Games removes one of India’s strongest medal contenders from the athletics programme and leaves the focus firmly on his recovery, as he aims to return to full fitness ahead of future international assignments.

–IANS

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