Servin Sebastian finished 31st in the men’s 20km race walk as India’s campaign at the World Athletics Championships 2025 concluded without a medal in Tokyo on Saturday.
The last Indian athlete competing at the 20th edition of the World Athletics Championships, Servin Sebastian finished his race with a time of 1:23:03 in a 48-man field.
This is the first time in three editions that India has failed to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships.
Servin Sebastian’s time of 1:23:03 in Tokyo was almost two minutes slower than his personal and season-best time of 1:21:14, which earned him the bronze medal at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi earlier this year.
Akshdeep Singh holds the Indian national record in the 20km race walk with a timing of 1:19:55, achieved at the 2023 National Open Race Walking Championships in Jharkhand.
Paris 2024 silver medallist Caio Bonfim of Brazil won the 20km men’s race walk after clocking 1:18:35.
Asian champion Wang Zhaozhao of the People’s Republic of China was second with a time of 1:18:43 and Olympian Paul McGrath of Spain finished third after clocking 1:18:45.
India had sent a 19-member contingent for the Tokyo edition and competed for medals across 15 events.
Sachin Yadav recorded the best finish by an Indian athlete at the World Athletics Championships after placing fourth with a personal best of 86.27m in the men’s javelin throw final.
Neeraj Chopra, who was the reigning champion heading into Tokyo25, had to settle for an eighth-place finish.
Meanwhile, Sarvesh Kushare scripted history by becoming the first Indian high jumper to qualify for the final of a World Athletics Championships. He finished sixth in the final with a personal best of 2.28m.
Pooja also clocked a personal best of 2:01.03 in the women’s 800m, but could not progress to the final, finishing last in her heat.
Indian athletes have only won three medals at the World Athletics Championships to date.
Anju Bobby George won long jump bronze at Paris 2003, Neeraj Chopra claimed javelin silver at Oregon 2022 and followed it up with a historic gold at Budapest a year later.