India, July 2 -- In the humid Bhubaneswar air earlier this week, when Rohit Yadav's javelin flew to a distance of 87.05m, it not only ended his wait for an 85m-plus throw, but also culminated a redemption arc that began almost two years back with a surgery on his right elbow. The rehabilitation took longer than expected, and when Rohit returned to action a year later, his performances and confidence were never the same.

He struggled to touch 80m in 2023, hitting the mark in only three of the nine competitions he appeared in. In 2024, he failed to clear 80m even once before familiar inconsistency returned in 2025.

Things, however, have been looking up this year with Rohit going 80m-plus in three of his four competitions. His winning effo...