Neeraj qualifies for Worlds finals with first throw, sets up clash with Nadeem

Defending champion Neeraj Chopra will meet Pakistan’s Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem in the men’s javelin throw final of the World Championships on Thursday in a highly anticipated contest between the two rivals, after both advanced from the qualification round in different fashion.

Chopra secured his place in the final with his very first attempt in Group A, recording 84.85 m to go past the automatic qualification mark of 84.50 m. Nadeem, competing in Group B, struggled with his first two throws of 76.99 m and 74.17 m before producing 85.28 m in his third attempt to secure qualification.

Under the rules, athletes who achieve 84.50 m or the 12 best performers advance to the final.

This will be the first meeting between Chopra and Nadeem since the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Nadeem won gold with 92.97 m while Chopra took silver with 89.45 m. The Pakistani athlete, who underwent knee surgery in July, has competed only once this year before the Championships, winning gold at the Asian Championships in May.

India will also have Sachin Yadav in the final after he managed 83.67 m to finish sixth in Group A and tenth overall. However, Rohit Yadav and Yashvir Singh failed to progress, finishing 28th and 30th respectively.

Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist, finished third in Group A and sixth overall but qualified comfortably with minimal exertion. Nadeem’s final throw placed him fifth overall, just ahead of Chopra.

Among other contenders, Germany’s Julian Weber led Group A with 87.21 m, while 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago), defending bronze medallist Jakub Vadlejch (Czech Republic), and Sachin Yadav also featured in that group.

Group B included two-time world champion Anderson Peters (Grenada), Kenya’s Julius Yego, Brazil’s Luiz Da Silva, and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage. Peters topped qualifying overall with 89.53 m, his season’s best.

Others who crossed the 84.50 m mark included Poland’s Dawid Wegner (85.67 m), Yego (85.96 m), and the USA’s Curtis Thompson (84.72 m). Vadlejch (84.11 m), Walcott (83.93 m), Australia’s Cameron McEntyre (83.03 m), and Pathirage (82.80 m) completed the 12-man final line-up.

At the previous edition in 2023, Chopra won gold with 88.17 m, followed by Nadeem (87.82 m) and Vadlejch (86.67 m).

Chopra is aiming to become only the third male javelin thrower to defend a World Championships title, after his coach Jan Zelezny (1993, 1995) and Peters (2019, 2022).

On current form, Weber is seen as the frontrunner, having cleared 90 m three times this season. The German holds the world-leading mark of 91.51 m and recently won the Diamond League trophy. Chopra trails Weber 1–3 in their meetings this year, including the Diamond League final where the Indian finished second with 85.01 m.

Chopra crossed the 90 m mark earlier this season with 90.23 m at the Doha Diamond League but has also registered modest distances in some events. Nadeem remains a threat despite limited outings, while Peters signalled his return to form with his 89.53 m qualification throw.

The gold medal is expected to be contested fiercely among Chopra, Weber, Nadeem, and Peters.