‘Five’! Yego’s lucky charm as he banks on past Asian exploits to reclaim world title

Julius Yego, the 2016 Olympic men’s javelin throw silver medalist is once again setting his sights on global glory. As he prepares for the Tokyo World Championships slated for 13-21 September, Yego is relying on more than just his physical prowess– a lucky charm.
The 36-year-old, affectionately known as the “YouTube man,” made his mark by learning javelin techniques through online tutorials, and now he’s back on the world stage, hoping to claim his first-ever World Championship gold.
Yego, the four-time African Champion, has already secured his spot in Team Kenya to Tokyo thanks to his 87.72m impressive throw at the Pari24 Olympics where he unfortunately finished fifth. The qualifying standard for the World Athletics Championships 2025 is set at 85.50m.
“Every time we go to Asia, Kenya does well. I won in 2015 and now the championships are in 2025. My lucky number is five. I am going for it (world title),” said Yego.
Yego knows what it takes to shine on the world stage. He won his maiden world title at the 2015 Beijing championships with a massive 92.72m throw- his career best. It was a world lead then and still stands as the African record.
With the Championships returning to Asia, a continent that has brought him and the country success, Yego is embracing fate.
However, Yego is under no illusions about the challenge ahead. The men’s javelin has evolved into one of the most competitive disciplines, with 90m-plus throws becoming the new standard for podium finishes.
“In the men’s javelin, with the kind of talents we have, you need to get a big throw,” he said. “You saw what happened in Paris, 92m was the winning mark. If you want to win any medal at the moment you need to throw over 90m.”
At the Paris Olympics Pakistani Arshad Nadeem threw 92.97m to claim gold with India’s Neeraj Chopra (89.45m) and Grenada’s Anderson Peters (88.54m).
For Yego, the mission is clear; to break the 90m barrier again—a feat he hasn’t achieved since Beijing. His closest attempt came in Rio 2016, where he threw 88.24m to claim Olympic silver just behind Germany’s Thomas Rohler (90.30m).
“I don’t want to chase my personal best but I have to ensure I hit the 90m mark,” he added.
Yego has mapped out a six-event build-up, including Diamond League meets and continental tour events to fine-tune his form: “In technical events, you need to compete, not very much but you need to compete before the major events. My plan this year is to appear in the Diamond Leagues and also continental tour events. The target is to feature in six events before the big showdown in Tokyo.”
His campaign kicks off at the Doha Diamond League on 16 May, followed by a home appearance at the Kip Keino Classic on 31 May.
Looking back at his 2024 season, Yego remains grateful despite an injury setback in March that disrupted his rhythm.
“The beginning of the season was good up to March when I got injured and then everything changed. However, I was able to show up well for the Paris Olympics and I even surprised myself. I was feeling really good during the two weeks of training before I left for the Olympics.”
It also marked his return to the Diamond League circuit: “I was also able to compete in a few Diamond Leagues. I had missed (the series) for some time. The year was full of ups and downs but I thank God it ended well.”