NEW DELHI: India’s Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan’s Olympian Champion Arshad Nadeem are set for a blockbuster showdown at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, reigniting one of the most talked-about rivalries in global sport.
Chopra, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics and silver behind Nadeem in Paris, will defend his world title when the two javelin stars meet on September 18. The pair last faced off at the Paris Olympics, where Nadeem created history with a Games-record throw of 92.97m to give Pakistan its first Olympic gold in 40 years.
Though once celebrated for their camaraderie, both athletes now insist their relationship is professional, built on mutual respect rather than friendship. “When he won, I congratulated him, and when I won, he did the same,” Nadeem told AFP en route to Tokyo. Chopra echoed the sentiment, saying, “We were never really close friends, but if someone speaks with respect, I respond in kind.”
Both arrive in Tokyo with strong credentials. Chopra, now training under javelin legend Jan Zelezny, cleared 90m for the first time this season with a 90.23m throw at the Doha Diamond League, though he finished behind Germany’s Julian Weber. At the Zurich meet, Weber once again took top spot with 91.51m, with Chopra second at 85.01m.
Nadeem, returning from calf surgery in July, marked his comeback by winning gold at the Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea in May. The 28-year-old, hailed as a national hero at home, will be looking to reclaim the spotlight on the biggest stage.
With world-class contenders like two-time champion Anderson Peters of Grenada and Germany’s in-form Weber also in the field, the men’s javelin promises to be one of the highlights of the championships. But for millions across South Asia, all eyes will be on Chopra and Nadeem — two athletes whose rivalry has transcended borders to capture global attention.
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