Neeraj Chopra Vs Arshad Nadeem: Javelin Showdown At World Athletics Championships Who Will Reign Supreme?

Indian javelin throw star and two-time Olympic medalist, Neeraj Chopra, will lock horns with his counterpart and reigning Olympic champion, Arshad Nadeem, in a much-anticipated showdown at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, which will start on September 13.

The face-off between two javelin stars was confirmed after Nadeem was declared fit by the doctor following surgery on his right calf in Cambridge in July 2025. Arshad Nadeem's last appearance was in the Asian Athletics Championships in June this year, winning a gold medal with a best throw of 86.40 metres. Neeraj was not part of the event as he decided to prioritize major events like the Doha Diamond League and World Athletics Championships.

The Pakistani javelin star has been recovering from a calf injury, sustained in late July this year, sidelining him from the international events, including the recently concluded Diamond League series.

Arshad Nadeem fit for the clash against Neeraj Chopra

The anticipation for the much-awaited clash between Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem has reached fever pitch after the latter's doctor expressed satisfaction with his recovery and rehabilitation following the calf surgery. The doctor is confident that Nadeem will deliver better performance at the World Championships than he did at the Paris Olympics last year, where he won the gold medal.

“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, Dr. Asad Abbas told Telecom Asia Sport.

“I have seen him before, so I am confident that he will be able to achieve better results than he did in Paris,” the surgeon added.

At #Paris2024, Arshad Nadeem made history!A record-breaking throw of 92.97m earned him Olympic gold and Pakistan's first individual title. 🥇🇵🇰@WorldAthletics | @NOCPakistan twitter/3aQL1Lma20

- The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 30, 2025

Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem have often dominated the headlines during the javelin throw events, given their rivalry as top athletes representing two different countries, India and Pakistan, adding their extra layer of clash.

The last face-off between Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem was in the Paris Olympics last year, when the former clinched the historic Gold medal for Pakistan with a best throw of 92.97m, while the Indian javelin star settled for a silver medal with a throw of 89.45m. Neeraj missed out on the chance to defend his gold medal, which he won in the Tokyo Olympics 2021.

Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem head-to-head

The first face-off between Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem was in the 2016 South Asian Games, where the former clinched the gold medal, while the latter finished with a bronze, marking the beginning of their high-profile rivalry. Since then, the two have locked horns nine times at international events.

In 10 international events, Neeraj Chopra emerged victorious nine times, while Arshad Nadeem won on only one occasion, that was the Paris Olympics. In the previous edition of the World Athletics Championships, Chopra clinched the historic gold medal with a best throw of 88.17, while Arshad took home the silver medal with a throw of 87.82.

In the face-off between Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem in 10 international events, only twice did the two finish on the podium as the top two, with Neeraj taking gold and Arshad settling for silver at the World Athletics Championships in 2023, and vice-versa at the Paris Olympics.

Who will reign supreme at the World Athletics Championships?

As Arshad Nadeem declared fit by the doctor to participate in the World Athletics Championships, all eyes will be on the high-voltage clash between him and Neeraj Chopra at the Japan National Stadium, also known as Olympic Stadium, with fans eagerly awaiting to see which javelin star will dominate the podium this time.

Neeraj Chopra has been in quite impressive form, having recently finished as runner-up with a best throw of 85.01 at the Diamond League final in Zurich, Switzerland. The 27-year-old has been consistently hitting the 85m mark in every event he has participated in so far, showcasing his consistency and building momentum ahead of the Tokyo World Athletics Championships.

In the Doha Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra scripted history by becoming the first javelin thrower to breach the 90 metre mark with a throw of 90.23m. However, he finished second behind Germany's Julian Weber, who claimed the top spot with an impressive throw of 91.06. In May this year.

Neeraj Chopra joins the 90m club! Neeraj Chopra finally breaks the 90-metre barrier with a personal best throw of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League!#NeerajChopra #DohaDiamondLeague @Neeraj_chopra1 @YASMinistry @mansukhmandviya @AshwiniVaishnaw @Murugan_MoS @khadseraksha... twitter/WEtGGpTUQa

- Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) May 17, 2025

Arshad Nadeem, on the other hand, has been out of action for two months due to a calf injury, and has now been declared fully fit, raising the expectations of challenging Neeraj Chopra at the prestigious athletics event. However, Nadeem will need to quickly regain his consistency and rhythm in throws in order to match Neeraj's form.

Additionally, in the head-to-head record between Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem, Chopra has dominated with nine wins out of ten encounters, highlighting his current edge, while Nadeem's lone victory at the Paris Olympics adds an intriguing twist to their upcoming clash at the World Athletics Championships.

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