Exclusive: Grenada’s Gentle Giant Anderson Peters Plots World Record Charge Despite Early Season Bumps

Two-time World Champion Anderson Peters stepped onto Kenyan soil for the second time. This time, he was far from just another visitor. 

The Grenadian javelin thrower, Grenada (pronounced Greh-nay-da), was looking to assess his rhythm as he builds up to peak form this season.

Steady Start to the Season

Peters launched his 2025 campaign in March at the Grenada Championships, claiming top honors with a modest 74.90m throw.

He then opened his Diamond League season in Doha on Friday, 16 May, with an impressive 85.64m, placing third behind Germany’s Julian Weber and 2020 Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India.

Peters finished third on Friday, 23 May, with an 83.24m throw at the Janusz Kusociński Memorial in Chorzów, Poland, before booking that flight to Kenya.

At the Kipkeino Classic held on Saturday, 31 May, he faded off to seventh place with a throw of 77:49m. This was a decline from the 2023 edition at the Kasarani Stadium in his maiden appearance, where he finished second.

Speaking to SportsBoom.com, Peters noted that while he fell short of his target in Kenya, he was still anticipating a busy season ahead. He likened this season to 2024, where he only gained momentum in August during the Paris Olympics, claiming bronze.

“This was my third competition of the season, and I’m still working on finding my rhythm. Last year, I only got into rhythm at the Olympic Games. My goal here was to reach 87 or 88 meters, 90 would have been a bonus,” he told SportsBoom.com. 

Eyeing the Elusive 90m Mark

Despite that performance, Peters is not giving up on his dream of throwing 90m consistently. He believes that he is still young and as years go by, he will be comfortably launching missiles well beyond 90 meters. He is only 27 years old.

“For javelin, throwing over 90m is always a big deal. We have respect for that 90m mark, so getting to it is massive,” he told SportsBoom.com. 

A Gentle Giant

If you see Peters in person, he may not fit the stereotypical image of a burly javelin thrower. He is lean and composed and carries himself with a calm and reflective demeanor. His off-field personality is a striking contrast to the fierce competitor he becomes when it is time to throw.

SportsBoom sought to understand this duality.

“I try to remain as calm as possible during training. That’s when you visualize and internalize the technical cues. But in competition, it’s a kill-or-be-killed situation. You are up against the best who consistently throw 85 meters and above, and there is no room to hold back,” he explained with a smile.

A Cricket Kid Turned Global Star

Before Peters rose to global fame as a javelin thrower, his sporting journey began on the cricket field. This is a natural path, considering cricket’s dominance in the Caribbean.

A talented all-rounder, Peters was a fast bowler and big hitter with dreams of donning the West Indies jersey. But before he could make that dream a reality, track and field swept him off his feet. 

He dabbled in almost every event, even flirting with the idea of becoming a decathlete. Eventually, it was the javelin that stuck, and over time, his steady improvements revealed where his true calling lay.

“And, you know, I just stuck with javelin, and then I saw a tremendous improvement over the years. I mean, there were some years where I was improving by 10 meters per year. So, you know, I just stuck with it, and here I am today as a double world champion,” he revealed.

Kenya’s Magic and Yego’s Influence

What brings him back to Kenya? It is not just the competition.

“The energy here is unmatched. African people have good energy towards each other. And the food? Sweeter than the Caribbean. The pineapples are something else!” he exclaimed.

More than that, it is the legacy and influence of Kenyan legend Julius Yego that inspires him. He grew up watching and looking up to him. 

Yego achieved a personal best of 92.72 meters at the Beijing World Championships in August 2015, a throw that also set the African record. 

“Seeing Yego compete in 2015 at the World Championships gave me the push to start dreaming. We’ve talked, and he motivates me. Being in Kenya feels like coming full circle, it’s a great showcase of African talent."

A Journey of Highs and Lows

2019 was one of Anderson Peters’ best years. After winning the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, the Grenadian was crowned World Champion in Doha a few months later.

However, at the Tokyo Olympics he did not perform as expected and finished in sixth position in Group B of the classification, and in 15th place overall, being left out of the grand final of the competition.

A year later he would once again reach first place on the podium at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, being crowned two-time javelin champion.

Then came serious injuries that left him out of the final of the World Cup in Budapest in 2023 and the Pan American Games in Santiago 2023.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Peters redeemed himself. His 88.54m throw earned him a bronze medal behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem and India’s Neeraj Chopra, both Olympic giants.

The bronze marked a historic moment: the first Olympic field medal for Grenada and for Mississippi State, where Peters is an alumnus.

Peters began his training in 2011, and now, 14 years later, he still sees the world record of 98.48m within reach.

“Johannes Vetter hit 97.76 in 2020. That gave us all the belief that 98 is possible. Hopefully, I’m the man to do it. I’m still young and still maturing,” he concluded.