First day, first throw
Tokyo: Defending champion Neeraj Chopra will face Pakistan’s Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem in the World Championships finals in a much-anticipated clash between the two cross-border rivals as the duo made the cut in contrasting styles in the qualification round here on Wednesday.
While Chopra stormed into the finals after clearing the automatic qualification mark of 84.50m in his very first throw in Group A, Nadeem (85.28m) spent some anxious time before making the grade in his third and final attempt later in Group B. According to rules, those who touch the automatic qualifying mark of 84.50m or the best 12 finishers compete in the final round to be held on Thursday.
Chopra is set to face Nadeem for the first time after the 2024 Paris Olympics, giving him a chance to avenge his second-place finish in the French capital. Nadeem had won gold in Paris with a monster throw of 92.97m, while Chopra had a best of 89.45m that night.
The Pakistani has come into the showpiece after competing in just one event in the whole of 2025, winning gold in the Asian Championships in Korea in May. He then underwent a knee surgery in July.
Sachin Yadav also joined Chopra in the finals as second Indian after his 83.67m effort placed him at sixth in Group A and 10th overall. Two other Indians, Rohit Yadav and Yashvir Singh missed out after finishing 28th and 30th respectively out of 37 competitors in Group A and Group B together.
In the last edition in 2023, India had three javelin throwers in the finals with Kishore Jena and DP Manu finishing fifth and sixth respectively while Chopra won the gold.
The 27-year-old Chopra was the first thrower in the qualification round and he sent his spear to 84.85m without much exertion. Having achieved the objective of making it to the final with minimum effort, the two-time Olympic medallist packed up and left the arena.
He was third in Group A and sixth overall but that did not matter on the day.
“I feel really good that I achieved automatic qualification in first round. Tomorrow is the main day. This is the main competition (of the year),” Chopra was quoted as saying by ‘Olympic Khel’.
“I feel good (coming into World Championships). I crossed 90m this year and am working on my technique (with coach Jan Zelezny). I just need to stay healthy and focussed for final. I am ready.”
Asked about not competing for nearly two months before the Diamond League Finals on August 28, he said, “I did my training because I did not train enough and I feel like okay I need some training. I did not feel okay I am ready for competition. That is why I took some time and I trained for the DL (Finals).”
Nadeem, on the other hand, began with a horrendous 76.99m and followed it up with a 74.17m. It seemed for a while that Nadeem, who had also won a silver in the last edition in 2023 behind Chopra, would not make it to the finals.
But the 28-year-old pulled off a 85.28m throw in his third and final attempt to be the fourth automatic qualifier for the finals from Group B. He qualified for the finals at fifth place, just above Chopra. Chopra has been clubbed with German star Julian Weber, who topped Group A and was second overall with a throw of 87.21m, Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic and Sachin in the Group A.
