Neeraj Chopra, Arshad Nadeem Avoid Early Clash in World Championships Qualifiers.
The eagerly anticipated showdown between Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and World Championship silver medallist Arshad Nadeem will not take place during Wednesday’s men’s javelin qualification round, as the two have been placed in separate groups. A direct clash is now possible only if both advance to Thursday’s final.
Chopra will compete in Group A alongside Germany’s Diamond League winner Julian Weber, 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott, Czech veteran Jakub Vadlejch, and fellow Indian Sachin Yadav. Group B features Nadeem, Grenada’s two-time world champion Anderson Peters, 2015 world champion Julius Yego, Brazil’s Luiz da Silva, India’s Rohit Yadav and Yashvir Singh, and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage. The automatic qualifying mark is 84.50m, with the top 12 advancing to the final.
Chopra is aiming to become only the third man to defend a world javelin title, joining Jan Jelezny (1993, 1995) and Anderson Peters (2019, 2022). He won gold in Budapest last year with a throw of 88.17m, narrowly ahead of Nadeem (87.82m) and Vadlejch (86.67m).
The field is among the strongest in recent memory, featuring multiple 90m throwers such as Weber and Brazil’s Luiz da Silva, alongside seasoned campaigners Peters, Yego, and Vadlejch. India will field four athletes—Chopra, Rohit Yadav, Yashvir Singh, and Sachin Yadav—the largest representation from any nation in the event.
Chopra’s season has been a mix of highs and lows; he cleared 90m in Doha (90.23m) but has struggled for consistency. Weber, with three 90m throws this season and a Diamond League win, enters as favourite. Nadeem, who won gold at the Asian Championships in May before undergoing calf surgery in July, remains a proven performer under pressure.
Men’s javelin continues to be a marquee event for Indian fans, building on Chopra’s gold in Paris and strong performances in Budapest. India’s growing depth in the discipline is evident, with athletes such as Kishore Jena and DP Manu finishing in the top six globally in 2023.
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