Neeraj Chopra, Arshad Nadeem Set for High-Stakes Showdown in Javelin Final at World Championships

Tokyo, September 17: The men’s javelin final at the World Athletics Championships is set for a thrilling India-Pakistan clash, with reigning World Champion Neeraj Chopra facing off against Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem on Thursday evening.

Neeraj, 27, made an assured start in Group A of qualification, clearing the automatic mark of 84m with a throw of 84.50m on his very first attempt. Arshad, however, endured early struggles. After managing only 76.99m and facing elimination, he produced a powerful 85.28m throw to secure his spot in the final.

India’s Sachin Yadav also joined the elite line-up, recording a personal best of 83.67m to qualify among the top 12. Former World Champion Anderson Peters of Grenada topped the charts with a season’s best 89.53m, while Germany’s Julian Weber impressed with 87.21m. Kenya’s Julius Yego and Czech thrower Jakub Vadlejch also progressed.

The rivalry between Neeraj and Arshad has grown intense over the past few years. At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Neeraj claimed gold with 88.17m, while Arshad took silver at 87.82m, and Vadlejch settled for bronze with 86.67m. But at the Tokyo Olympics, Arshad turned the tables, smashing the Olympic record with a colossal 92.97m to win gold, leaving Neeraj with silver at 89.45m.

This time, Neeraj has history in his sights. A victory would make him only the third male javelin thrower to defend a World Championships gold, after his coach Jan Zelezny (1993, 1995) and Peters (2019, 2022). With Arshad in strong form and a stacked field around them, Thursday’s final promises another chapter in a fierce and captivating rivalry.