Yego chasing fairytale Commonwealth farewell in Glasgow

The 2015 world javelin champion Julius Yego will be hoping to script a fairytale ending to his Commonwealth Games journey when this year's edition gets underway next week in Glasgow, Scotland.

Yego is now a veteran of four Commonwealth Games, making him one of the longest-serving athletes in Kenyan track and field history.

He made his Club Games debut in New Delhi, India, in 2010, unleashing a throw of 69.60m to finish seventh overall.

However, it was at his second appearance in Glasgow in 2014 that Yego produced a masterclass, launching the spear 83.87m to storm to a gold medal. Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott settled for silver with a throw of 82.67m, while Australia's Hamish Peacock completed the podium after managing 81.75m.

Yego returned for his third Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in 2018 but endured a disappointing campaign, failing to progress beyond the qualifying rounds after throwing 74.55m to finish sixth in his heat.

At the most recent Games in Birmingham, England, the Kenyan throwing great claimed bronze with a mark of 85.70m. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem struck gold with a mammoth 90.18m effort, while Grenada's Anderson Peters took silver after throwing 88.64m.

Yego says preparations have gone according to plan and he is relishing the prospect of returning to Glasgow. "I think everything is okay. Training has been good, so I am excited," he said.

The veteran thrower has also promised his fans a strong performance, insisting he still believes a huge throw is waiting to come. "I feel there is a throw that hasn't come this season, but maybe at the Commonwealth Games."

He also spoke of his special bond with Glasgow, the city where he captured his maiden Commonwealth title. "I was in Glasgow in 2014, and I won, so I am going back to pick it up from there."

"I will try to win the competition because I have won it before," he noted. However, Yego is under no illusions about the calibre of opposition awaiting him in Scotland.

"The top five in the men's javelin this year are from the Commonwealth countries, and that shows the level of competition has gone up," he noted.

Yego singled out world number one Rumesh Pathirage of Sri Lanka, 2020 Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India and Keshorn Walcott and Anderson Peters as some of the leading contenders. "We have the new kid on the block, Pathirage, the world number one. We also have Chopra, Keshorn and Peters."

The six-time African champion believes the battle for gold will demand throws in excess of 90 metres. "The minimum distance is 90m, so that shows the level of competition is high. I have to be up to the task because this is a mini Olympics in the men's javelin."

Yego heads to Glasgow on the back of a promising 2026 campaign. He opened his season at the Kip Keino Classic on April 24, narrowly missing out on the podium after finishing fourth with a throw of 79.87m behind Pathirage (89.28m), Germany's Thomas Röhler (83.33m) and South Africa's Douw Smit (81.19m).

On May 17, he secured a record-extending sixth African Championships title after producing a winning throw of 79.87m to finish ahead of Ethiopia's Otag Ubang (77.62m) and Smit (76.00m). However, he has yet to fully hit top gear on the Diamond League circuit this season, placing fifth in Rabat with 80.59m on May 31, seventh in Rome with 79.89m on June 4 and sixth in Doha with 82.22m on June 19.

Yego's most recent outing came at the Commonwealth Games trials on June 20, where he topped the standings with a throw of 77.39m, finishing ahead of Alex Kiprotich (76.19m) and Methusellah Kiprop (74.48m).