Arshad Nadeem qualifies for World Athletics javelin final in Tokyo

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem qualified for the World Athletics Championship javelin throw final on Wednesday with a throw of 85.28 meters, keeping his medal hopes alive just weeks after undergoing elbow surgery.

The 27-year-old needed to reach 84.50m to advance. After failing with throws of 76.99m and 74.17m, he delivered in his third and final attempt.

Group B was dominated by Anderson Peters, the Paris Olympics bronze medalist, who threw 89.53m. Kenya’s Julius Yego also secured an automatic spot with 85.96m in his first attempt, choosing to skip his remaining two throws. American Curtis Thompson advanced with 84.72m.

From Group A, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, Germany’s Julian Weber, and Poland’s Dawid Wegner met the qualifying mark. Chopra threw 84.85m, while Weber and Wegner also crossed the standard.

At the end of qualifying, Peters, Yego, and Weber held the top three spots. Wegner, Nadeem, and Chopra followed in fourth, fifth, and sixth. Twelve athletes will compete in the final on Wednesday at Japan National Stadium, the same venue where Chopra won Olympic gold in 2021 and Nadeem finished fifth.

Nadeem’s journey to Tokyo has been marked by injuries. He underwent left elbow surgery in London just eight weeks ago. His doctor, Ali Sher Bajwa, who also supervised his calf surgery earlier this year, said the athlete’s recovery has been remarkable.

“Just finished a training session with Arshad and his coach Salman. Our athlete looks in good form,” Bajwa told Nukta in Tokyo. “It’s exactly eight weeks since he had surgery in Cambridge that makes this all the more remarkable. He’s a good fighter and appears ready for the showdown tomorrow.”

Nadeem reached out to fans before the qualifiers. “I will be competing in the qualification stage of the World Championships tomorrow. Please pray that I qualify for Thursday’s final,” he said in a video message.

The final is expected to be a fierce contest between Nadeem, Chopra, and Weber. While Nadeem is returning from injury, Chopra has shown signs of inconsistency, most recently finishing second at the Diamond League final in Zurich with 85.01m. Weber won that event with a throw of 91.51m.

Nadeem already has an impressive record. He won silver at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, gold at the Paris Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Islamic Solidarity Games, and Asian Athletics Championships, and bronze at the 2018 Asian Games.

Now, the Pakistani star is eyeing the top of the podium in Tokyo.