United States National Champion Javelin Thrower Evelyn Bliss Competes Friday Morning at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The United States National Champion in the Javelin Throw Evelyn Bliss competes Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time in the 2025 World Athletics Championships held in iconic Tokyo. Bliss will attempt to be one of the 12 throwers out of the 36 of the world's best to advance to Saturday's morning finals at 8:05 a.m. ET. She is the first Bison in program history to compete in the World Athletics Championships.

"To be here has been such an incredible experience," said Bliss. "I've seen and met so many people I've looked up to. I am jumping at the chance get to compete with them here tomorrow! I feel ready to compete, I'm going in with the mentality of anxious not nervous!"

What: 2025 World Athletics Championships
Where: Tokyo, Japan
When: 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time | 7:30 p.m. Tokyo Time
Watch: USA Network | Peacock

There will not be a dedicated stream for the qualification group but the wraparound coverage offered by the NBC networks has generally cut to American field athletes.

Qualification for Saturday's finals can be earned by finishing in the top 12 or hitting the automatic mark of 62.50 meters. Bliss have not yet hit that mark, as her personal record is 60.81m, set in the preliminaries of the 2025 FISU University Games, but the Bison thrower has steadily progressed in distance over the past few months. Each thrower will receive three attempts, necessitating a fast start.

Her Qualification Group A consists of 18 throwers and is stacked with world-classic talent. The number one thrower in the world Haruka Kitaguchi headlines the bunch with her personal best toss of 67.38 thrown back in 2023, and hailing from Japan, will have the homefield advantage and crowd support. Serbian javelineer Adriana Vilagos has the best season-best mark in the group, throwing 67.22.

Bliss is the second-youngest competitor of the 36 javelin throwers but she has three aces up her red, white, and blue sleeve. She has been peaking at the right time heading into Tokyo. Unlike most of her foes, Bliss' five qualifying marks for the Championships were thrown starting in June. The qualifying calendar stemmed from August 2024-August 2025. A brief glance at the 36 javelineers and their history reveals many of the athletes peaked back in 2024 or early 2025.

Secondly, the average mark to make the finals over the past two Championships sits at the 59-meter area, which is well within Bliss' wheelhouse. In her last outing, at the NACACs (North American, Caribbean, and Central American Championships), Bliss threw 58.62m to win the event and seal her bid for Tokyo.

Finally, Bucknell throws coach Ryan Protzman made the expedition. He and Bliss have a special connection and some of her best feats, including her National Champion title, have come during his attendance. She threw 57.77m to win the United States crown this summer.

"I'm excited for tomorrow. I was a little worried after NACACs that the tank was empty, but training has been going really well recently. We have definitely pulled back big time on the volume this last month, and I am hopeful it will payoff. She is in a great position to surprise a lot of people."

Bliss and Protzman have been at Hayward Field so many times that Eugene, Oregon considers them permanent residents. But the World Athletics Championships, one step below the Olympics on the prestige and excitement factor, are on a higher plane of existence. The two are soaking up the experience with a mental mop.

"The experience so far has been nothing short of amazing," raved Protzman. "To be a fan of this sport for many years, and be in the same hotel with the best track and field athletes in the world is a surreal feeling. To be coaching one of them is even more surreal."

Even if Bliss fails to advance to the finals, the opportunity will pay enormous dividends for her throwing future. She will exude that veteran and worldwide presence in every NCAA meet over her next two seasons. As Bucknell head coach Kevin Donner said, "Just outperform your seed." Bliss enters the competition ranked 35th in the world. Any result higher than 35 is a job well-done.

"Regardless of the result, this has been a dream come true," acknowledged Protzman. "I'm so proud of Evie for never losing the amazing person that put her in this position. She is such a hardworking and humble person. She deserves this moment, and I believe she will thrive in this environment."

Bliss' 2025 season ends after the World Athletics Championships. She will return to Bucknell and rest and refuel for the upcoming 2026 outdoor track & field campaign, where she will attempt to become a three-time Patriot League Champion in the javelin and repeat for the thrice time as an All-American.

United States National Champion Javelin Thrower Evelyn Bliss Competes Friday Morning at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo

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Evelyn Bliss

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