The 2015 World javelin champion Julius Yego aims to bounce back in style at the Kip Keino Classic and the National Police Service (NPS) Championships following a lukewarm start to his international season in Doha.
Competing in his first meet of the 2025 campaign at the Doha Diamond League last weekend, the 36-year-old finished ninth with a best throw of 78.42m at the Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium.
Germany’s Julian Weber stole the show with a world-leading mark of 91.06m, edging 2020 Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India (90.23m) and Grenada’s Anderson Peters (85.64m).
Despite falling short of the podium, Yego remains optimistic. He has turned his focus to the Kip Keino Classic on May 31 and the NPS Championships on June 3-4.
“I am healthy and feeling great this year. I am looking forward to the next competition back home at the NPS Championships," Yego shared on his social platforms.
At the Classic, Yego will renew rivalries with formidable opponents, including 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Rohler and Olympic bronze medallist Peters, promising a thrilling javelin showdown on home soil.
Rohler kicked off his 2025 campaign with a meeting in the Czech Republic, where he launched an 80.37m throw to claim victory ahead of Belgium's Timothy Herman (78.38m) and Poland's Dawid Wegner (77.49m).
Meanwhile, Peters claimed victory at the Grenada Championships in March with a modest 74.90m to open his 2025 season.
Reflecting on his Doha outing, the 2016 Olympic silver medallist acknowledged the challenge of shaking off early-season rust.
“The first competition is always unpredictable. It’s all about dusting off and getting rid of the rust—and today was that day. This was my first competition in almost four months.”
Yego’s last outing had come at the 2024 Zurich Diamond League on September 5, where he struggled to find form, finishing last with a 69.61m throw.
The event was won by Peters (85.72m), ahead of Weber (85.33m) and Japan’s Roderick Genki (82.69m).
Despite the Doha disappointment, Yego was encouraged by the progress.
“It may not have been what I expected, but I’m happy with the result. 78.42m is a decent start. I can’t wait for the next competition.”
With two crucial events on the horizon, Yego is determined to fine-tune his technique and return sharper.
"Doha was good, now it's time to correct the notable mistakes, improve on the positives and make a whole round improvement."
"Every opportunity is a chance to check the weaknesses and make a great deal of improvements for better and great performance in the next competition."
