Neeraj in spotlight, Arshad keeps hopes alive as javelin final looms in Tokyo

From First to Last: Neeraj, Arshad Survive Qualification Drama to Enter Javelin Final.

On September 17 in Tokyo, the men’s javelin qualification turned into a tale of contrasts — Neeraj Chopra sealed his final spot with his very first throw, while Arshad Nadeem scraped through with his very last.

Out of 37 contenders, 12 advanced to Thursday’s final. Seven — including Neeraj, Arshad, Julian Weber, Anderson Peters, Julius Yego, Dawid Wegner and Curtis Thompson — crossed the automatic qualification mark of 84.50m.

Neeraj’s “One and Done”

Neeraj, India’s reigning world champion, silenced doubts over his inconsistent season. He opened with 84.85m — just above the mark — then packed up for the day. “My aim was to qualify in the first throw and stay fresh for the final,” he said later.

It wasn’t his longest, but it was enough. Even Diamond League champion Julian Weber started poorly with 82.29m before finding 87.21m later. Sachin Yadav, Neeraj’s young compatriot, threw 83.67m but narrowly missed out after Wegner’s career-best 85.67m.

Arshad’s Last-Chance Escape

While Neeraj cruised, Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem stumbled. His first two throws — 76.99m and 74.17m — left him on the brink. Then came redemption: a third-attempt 85.28m that kept him alive and set up the much-anticipated India-Pakistan face-off in the final.

Other Standouts

Anderson Peters: returning from injury, produced the day’s longest throw — 89.53m.

Julius Yego: at 36, the Kenyan veteran found an 85m roar.

Julian Weber: after a shaky start, showed why he leads the Diamond League.

Final Showdown Awaits

Thursday’s javelin final (3:30 pm IST) has no clear favourite. Neeraj is defending champion, Weber is in form, Peters looks dangerous, Nadeem is unpredictable, Yego has experience, and Wegner is the wildcard.

This time, it isn’t a two-horse race. It’s wide open — and it could be one of the most thrilling javelin finals in years.