Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem has been declared “fully fit” by his doctor ahead of a much-anticipated duel with India’s reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra at the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo starting September 13.
Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem has been declared “fully fit” by his doctor ahead of a much-anticipated duel with India’s reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra at the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo starting September 13.
Nadeem, 28, underwent surgery on his right calf in Cambridge in July 2025, forcing him to miss the Diamond League circuit. His return now sets the stage for one of the most eagerly awaited contests of the championship.
Doctor Confident of Strong Comeback
Dr Asad Abbas, who supervised Nadeem’s rehabilitation, expressed complete satisfaction with his recovery.
Arshad has fully recovered, and I have monitored his rehab and the progress. I am sure he will be right up there to compete with Neeraj and all others who will be lined up for the javelin event.
The surgeon further added, “I have seen him before, so I am confident that he will be able to achieve better results than he did in Paris.”
Rivalry set to Headline Tokyo Championship
The Neeraj–Nadeem rivalry is expected to be the highlight of Tokyo 2025. Their battle dates back to the World Championship in Budapest, where Chopra clinched gold with a throw of 88.17m, narrowly edging Nadeem, who secured silver just 0.35m behind. Chopra’s glittering résumé includes titles at the Asian Athletics Championships (2017), Asian Games (2018) and Commonwealth Games (2018), as well as Olympic gold at Tokyo 2021 with a throw of 87.58m.
Nadeem’s Golden Moment in Paris
While Chopra has dominated the global stage, Nadeem scripted history at the Paris Olympics with a record-breaking throw of 92.97m. The feat earned Pakistan its first Olympic gold in 32 years, the last coming in hockey at the 1992 Los Angeles Games. That victory catapulted Nadeem into sporting folklore and set the scene for a rivalry that continues to capture the imagination of the subcontinent and the athletics world alike.
