Pakistan’s Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem failed to deliver his best performance at the World Athletics Championship, bowing out of the medal race in the initial stage of the javelin throw final. Despite high expectations from fans, the star athlete could not match his peak form on the day.
In the Tokyo final, Nadeem managed a throw of 82.73 meters in his first attempt. In contrast, his biggest rival, India’s Neeraj Chopra, opened strongly with a throw of 83.65 meters, securing the lead early on.
Nadeem’s second attempt was declared invalid, with no clear explanation provided for the foul. Meanwhile, Chopra improved further in his second throw with a distance of 84.03 meters. Germany’s Julian Weber also impressed, registering 83.86 meters in his first throw and then stretching to 86.11 meters in the second. Another Indian competitor, Sachin Yadav, stunned spectators by launching an 86.27-meter throw in his very first attempt.
In the qualifying round held a day earlier, Nadeem also faced difficulties in the beginning. He managed only 76.9 meters in his first throw and 74.17 meters in the second, failing to reach his usual standards. However, in his third and final chance, he delivered an 85.28-meter throw that secured his place in the final, setting up a showdown with Neeraj Chopra and other world-class throwers.
It is worth recalling that the 28-year-old Paris Olympic hero had been sidelined earlier this year due to a leg injury, forcing him out of the World Athletics Silver Tour and the Diamond League. Following a shin surgery in June, he spent weeks in London undergoing rehabilitation before returning to Lahore to prepare for the World Championships.
