Pakistan’s javelin ace Arshad Nadeem fell short at the World Athletics Championship 2025, failing to qualify for the final round. The much-awaited contest brought him and India’s Neeraj Chopra back into action, rekindling their intense cross-border rivalry closely followed by fans.
In Thursday’s qualification, Arshad opened with 82.73m, while competitors like the USA’s Curtis Thompson (86.67m), Grenada’s Anderson Peters (84.59m), and India’s Neeraj Chopra (83.65m) delivered stronger throws. Arshad missed his second attempt, managed 82.75m in his third, and fouled on his fourth. Peters improved to 87.38m, Germany’s Julian Weber threw 86.11m, and Trinidad’s Keshorn Walcott topped with 88.16m.
With only the top 10 advancing, Arshad placed 10th out of 12, his best at 82.75m, while Neeraj’s best was 84.03m. Both were eliminated from medal contention.
Before the event, Arshad had urged fans to keep him in their prayers, receiving strong support from Pakistan. The final is set for September 18, marking the first head-to-head between Arshad and Neeraj since heightened Indo-Pak tensions in May, making their rivalry a focal point beyond athletics.
In another sports event, Arshad Nadeem Withdraws from Switzerland Athletics Event
