Neeraj Chopra has urged India’s junior athletes to build on their strong performance at the World Athletics U20 Championships and carry the momentum into senior-level competition.

India’s promising junior athletes have received a message of encouragement from two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra after the country finished the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, with three medals. Chopra called on the next generation to maintain their progress and use the experience gained on the global stage as a foundation for bigger achievements.

Chopra Backs Rising Athletes

Chopra, who won the men’s javelin throw title at the World U20 Championships in 2016, congratulated the Indian contingent for its performance in Eugene. He stressed the importance of sustaining the momentum rather than treating the medal-winning campaign as an isolated success.

His message comes as Indian athletics continues to produce a growing pool of young competitors capable of challenging for international honours.

India Finishes With Three Medals

India secured two silver medals and one bronze in Eugene, equalling its best-ever medal haul at the World Athletics U20 Championships. The previous three-medal totals came in 2021 and 2022.

Javelin thrower Ashish Yadav opened India’s medal account with silver. Basant Kumar Meghwal then won silver in the men’s high jump, while Shahnavaz Khan claimed bronze in the men’s long jump.

The results gave India another strong indication of the depth emerging in its athletics programme.

Meghwal Creates High Jump History

Basant Kumar Meghwal produced one of the landmark performances of the championships by clearing 2.21 metres for silver. The effort matched his personal best and made him the first Indian athlete to win a high jump medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships.

The 19-year-old had already cleared 2.21m at the Junior Federation Cup in Bengaluru in April and won gold at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong in May with a 2.20m clearance.

Shahnavaz Adds Long Jump Medal

Shahnavaz Khan also entered the record books by becoming the first Indian man to win a long jump medal at the global U20 championships.

The Indian U20 Asian champion produced a best effort of 7.84m for bronze in Eugene. His medal-winning jump came in the third round after opening with 7.67m and improving to 7.72m.

A Strong Link With Chopra’s Legacy

India’s performance also carries significance because Chopra himself emerged as a world junior champion. He won the men’s javelin gold at the 2016 World U20 Championships, a victory that marked an important stage in his rise to becoming one of India’s leading Olympic athletes.

Hima Das later won India’s second U20 world title in the women’s 400m in 2018. India’s latest three-medal campaign underlines the increasing competitiveness of its junior programme.

Not Every Event Went India’s Way

The campaign was not without setbacks. National senior record holder Pooja Singh finished seventh in the women’s high jump final after clearing 1.84m. She had earlier set the national senior record at 1.93m while winning gold at the Asian U20 Championships in May.

India’s women’s 4x400m relay team also finished ninth in the final, clocking 3:45.28.

These results underline the gap that young athletes still need to bridge as they move towards senior international competition.

Focus Now Turns to Senior Level

For India’s junior athletes, the immediate challenge will be converting promising performances into sustained senior-level success. International exposure, stronger domestic competition and consistent training will be crucial as the athletes progress.

Chopra’s call to “keep up the momentum” therefore carries a wider message for Indian athletics: medals at the junior level are an important beginning, but long-term success will depend on how effectively these athletes develop and compete against the world’s best seniors.