# Indian U20 medallists blame injuries for missing gold 2026-08-12T18:13:47+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Indian athletes who won medals at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon said injuries and lack of practice cost them gold. Javelin thrower Ashish Yadav, who took silver with 74.09m, said he went straight into competition after rehab for knee and hamstring injuries. High jumper Basant Meghwal lost gold on countback and said he could have won if he had cleared 2.21m in his first attempt. Long jumper Shahnavaz Khan, who won bronze, said cramps after his third jump stopped him from pushing harder. Meanwhile, The Hindustan Times reports that Uttar Pradesh has become a javelin powerhouse, with seven throwers crossing 80m. Ashish Yadav is among the next generation. The state's ecosystem, boosted by Neeraj Chopra's success, now blends traditional training with sports science. Veteran coach Rustam Khan said 60-70 of his 200 athletes specialise in javelin, and the depth could produce future international medal contenders. ## Coverage - thehindu.com - hindustantimes.com Tags: Ashish Yadav, Basant Meghwal, high jump, javelin throw, Shahnavaz Khan, World Athletics U20 Championships Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/injuries-lack-of-practice-cost-gold-at-u20-worlds-say-medallists/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/injuries-lack-of-practice-cost-gold-at-u20-worlds-say-medallists/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.