Bulldog Quartet On Top Of The World After Historic Morning
September 18, 2025 | Track & Field
STARKVILLE – Over the last three World Athletics Championships and last two Olympic cycles, Mississippi State has stood out in two events in particular – the men's javelin and the men's 800m. Announcers repeated the university's name quite often on Thursday morning, as Bulldogs made history in those events once more.
Curtis Thompson became the first American man to medal in the javelin at a World Championships in nearly two decades, and Jamaican 800m runner Navasky Anderson shattered his own national record to reach his first global final.
It started before many people in Starkville were even awake, but for friends, coaches and teammates the alarms had been set. At 5:27 a.m. CT, the men's javelin competition opened, and Anderson Peters shot to the front with an 84.59m throw. Four athletes later, Thompson surpassed him with an 86.67m heave.
Peters would one-up his former teammate in the next round, tossing 87.38m, which would be his best effort of the night, but both Bulldogs made the podium, earning silver and bronze.
Since the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Bulldogs have combined to win eight medals in the men's javelin and 800m, including three world titles. Even more remarkably, the men responsible for those medals were all members of State's 2019 roster.
Thursday marked the first time that the javelin duo has shared a podium since the 2022 USATF Grand Prix. They also stood beside each other at the 2021 version of the event and, of course, Bulldog fans will remember State's historic sweep of the 2019 NCAA Championships javelin podium.
"It means the world," Thompson said. "I'm extremely happy to have been able to throw well and bring home the world bronze. I was not the favorite, but I always believe in me. I always try to win, no matter what, no matter who's there. I came here to get a medal, and I made it."
Thompson's performance also stood as the second-longest throw ever by an American at a World Championships. Breaux Greer, the last U.S. medalist in the event, tossed 86.99m in qualifying all the way back in 2001. Thompson came up just 22 centimeters shy of that hurl. He remains No. 3 in United States history with a lifetime best throw of 87.76m earlier this season.
Just an hour after the men's javelin wrapped up, Marco Arop toed the line in the men's 800m semifinal. The reigning World Champion and 2024 Olympic silver medalist cruised through the first semifinal heat, winning comfortably in a leisurely 1:45.09 to automatically advance to Saturday's final.
Then things got interesting.
The second semifinal heat would prove to be the fastest in World Championships history, with Ireland's Cian McPhillips winning in 1:43.18, the third-fastest time in any round of the event at the World Championships. That put the pressure on Anderson.
The top two finishers in each heat automatically qualified for the final, which had Arop sitting back comfortably to watch as the stage was set for Anderson's record-breaking run. The next two fastest runners from any heat would round out the eight finalists.
American Donavan Brazier had clocked an impressive 1:43.82 while chasing McPhillips, and Italian Francesco Pernici was also on the bubble at 1:43.84, a time that was 0.34 seconds quicker than any Anderson had ever posted. Add to that reigning Olympic Champion Emmanuel Wanyoni a few lanes to his right and U.S. favorite Bryce Hoppel beside him providing plenty of resistance to the youngster looking to become the first Jamaican to ever make a men's 800m world final.
Anderson shot out of the blocks and clocked the quickest first 100m of the heat. His opening stretch was just one-hundredth of a second off the tone set by Great Britain's Max Burgin, who placed second in that lightning fast second heat.
As the racers collapsed to the rail out of the first turn, Anderson fell back into sixth place, but he rallied back into fourth at the bell. He held his position there throughout the second lap. Botswana's Tshepiso Masalela held the lead with 200m to go, but he began to fall back in the pack. Anderson surged just in front of him in the final turn and then held him off down the homestretch.
As he crossed the line, the first thing that flashed on the screen with his time of 1:43.72 was a note that he had broken his own national record. A few seconds later it set in that he had displaced not just Pernici but also Brazier. He will be the first Jamaican to run for a medal at the World Championships.
It's a chance for Anderson to etch his name alongside Jamaican legend Arthur Wint, who claimed the island's first Olympic medal in 1948 in the 800m. Wint also won an Olympic silver four years later.
But equally important to those at home in Starkville, Mississippi, it's another chance to watch a pair of Bulldogs and former training partners compete side-by-side at the highest level.
"The race went exactly as I thought," Arop said of his heat. "I wanted to control it, to be in a good position and be prepared for any moves, and it worked. I have been here so many times. I know what to expect, and I can manage my emotions. I can do what I need to do to be where I need to be. If I keep doing that, I will have a very successful week here."
Arop will look to defend his title against the pesky upstart from Jamaica and a historically fast field on Saturday morning. The men's 800m final is set for 8:22 a.m. CT in Tokyo.
Curtis Thompson became the first American man to medal in the javelin at a World Championships in nearly two decades, and Jamaican 800m runner Navasky Anderson shattered his own national record to reach his first global final.
It started before many people in Starkville were even awake, but for friends, coaches and teammates the alarms had been set. At 5:27 a.m. CT, the men's javelin competition opened, and Anderson Peters shot to the front with an 84.59m throw. Four athletes later, Thompson surpassed him with an 86.67m heave.
Peters would one-up his former teammate in the next round, tossing 87.38m, which would be his best effort of the night, but both Bulldogs made the podium, earning silver and bronze.
Since the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Bulldogs have combined to win eight medals in the men's javelin and 800m, including three world titles. Even more remarkably, the men responsible for those medals were all members of State's 2019 roster.
Thursday marked the first time that the javelin duo has shared a podium since the 2022 USATF Grand Prix. They also stood beside each other at the 2021 version of the event and, of course, Bulldog fans will remember State's historic sweep of the 2019 NCAA Championships javelin podium.
"It means the world," Thompson said. "I'm extremely happy to have been able to throw well and bring home the world bronze. I was not the favorite, but I always believe in me. I always try to win, no matter what, no matter who's there. I came here to get a medal, and I made it."
Thompson's performance also stood as the second-longest throw ever by an American at a World Championships. Breaux Greer, the last U.S. medalist in the event, tossed 86.99m in qualifying all the way back in 2001. Thompson came up just 22 centimeters shy of that hurl. He remains No. 3 in United States history with a lifetime best throw of 87.76m earlier this season.
Just an hour after the men's javelin wrapped up, Marco Arop toed the line in the men's 800m semifinal. The reigning World Champion and 2024 Olympic silver medalist cruised through the first semifinal heat, winning comfortably in a leisurely 1:45.09 to automatically advance to Saturday's final.
Then things got interesting.
The second semifinal heat would prove to be the fastest in World Championships history, with Ireland's Cian McPhillips winning in 1:43.18, the third-fastest time in any round of the event at the World Championships. That put the pressure on Anderson.
The top two finishers in each heat automatically qualified for the final, which had Arop sitting back comfortably to watch as the stage was set for Anderson's record-breaking run. The next two fastest runners from any heat would round out the eight finalists.
American Donavan Brazier had clocked an impressive 1:43.82 while chasing McPhillips, and Italian Francesco Pernici was also on the bubble at 1:43.84, a time that was 0.34 seconds quicker than any Anderson had ever posted. Add to that reigning Olympic Champion Emmanuel Wanyoni a few lanes to his right and U.S. favorite Bryce Hoppel beside him providing plenty of resistance to the youngster looking to become the first Jamaican to ever make a men's 800m world final.
Anderson shot out of the blocks and clocked the quickest first 100m of the heat. His opening stretch was just one-hundredth of a second off the tone set by Great Britain's Max Burgin, who placed second in that lightning fast second heat.
As the racers collapsed to the rail out of the first turn, Anderson fell back into sixth place, but he rallied back into fourth at the bell. He held his position there throughout the second lap. Botswana's Tshepiso Masalela held the lead with 200m to go, but he began to fall back in the pack. Anderson surged just in front of him in the final turn and then held him off down the homestretch.
As he crossed the line, the first thing that flashed on the screen with his time of 1:43.72 was a note that he had broken his own national record. A few seconds later it set in that he had displaced not just Pernici but also Brazier. He will be the first Jamaican to run for a medal at the World Championships.
It's a chance for Anderson to etch his name alongside Jamaican legend Arthur Wint, who claimed the island's first Olympic medal in 1948 in the 800m. Wint also won an Olympic silver four years later.
But equally important to those at home in Starkville, Mississippi, it's another chance to watch a pair of Bulldogs and former training partners compete side-by-side at the highest level.
"The race went exactly as I thought," Arop said of his heat. "I wanted to control it, to be in a good position and be prepared for any moves, and it worked. I have been here so many times. I know what to expect, and I can manage my emotions. I can do what I need to do to be where I need to be. If I keep doing that, I will have a very successful week here."
Arop will look to defend his title against the pesky upstart from Jamaica and a historically fast field on Saturday morning. The men's 800m final is set for 8:22 a.m. CT in Tokyo.
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