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Neeraj’s one and done, Arshad’s last ditch save: Javelin set for fascinating final in Tokyo

The World Athletics Championship saw a fascinating contest in the men’s javelin qualification round. After struggling for months to reach his peak, Neeraj got the job done in just one throw. Arshad Nadeem, the Olympic champion, nearly got knocked out in the first round.

Neeraj Chopra in action at the World Athletics Championships.© AFP

It was a tale of the first and the last throw in the men’s javelin qualification on September 17, as defending champion Neeraj Chopra and Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem booked their places in the final of the World Athletics Championships. But between those two throws – the first from Neeraj and the last from Nadeem – there was plenty of drama that kept the crowd on their feet in Tokyo.

Twelve athletes qualified for the final out of a 37-member field. Seven – Anderson Peters, Julian Weber, Julius Yego, Dawid Wegner, Arshad Nadeem, Neeraj Chopra and Curtis Thompson – achieved direct qualification. The seven, seemingly gifted with strength from the gods, breached the automatic qualification mark of 84.50 metres, while the remaining five had to fight their nerves in a tense qualification round in hot and humid Tokyo.

Amid the palpable tension of the men’s 200m heats, where the competition was fierce, the Tokyo crowd gave a rousing reception to reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra.

One and Done: Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj, coming off an up-and-down season, soaked it all in – then catapulted himself into the final with his very first throw of the day. His effort landed at 84.85m, just above the automatic qualification mark. There was a calm confidence about Neeraj – something that had been missing since the Doha Diamond League.

The star Indian athlete has openly expressed frustration with his form this year. In his media interactions, he spoke about a new technique introduced by the legendary Jan Zelezny. According to Neeraj, he’s been unintentionally mixing his old and new techniques in competition, which has affected his distances.

But on Wednesday, there was none of that. Neeraj warmed up, took the javelin, launched it with full force – and simply walked out of the stadium.

Before leaving the premises, Neeraj spoke to the media in the mixed zone. The “one and done” man said his goal was to seal qualification with the first throw so that he could rest and return fresh on Thursday at 3:30 pm, when the final takes place.

While Neeraj wasn’t entirely happy with the distance, it was telling that nobody bettered his mark in the first round – not even reigning Diamond League champion Julian Weber, who managed just 82.29m in his first attempt.

Neeraj’s compatriot, Sachin Yadav – touted as India’s next big thing in men’s javelin – started strong with a throw of 83.67m, better than anything he’s produced in recent months.

The nerves settled in the second round for most. Julian Weber and Jakub Vadlejch found their rhythm. Weber qualified with a massive throw of 87.21m, while Vadlejch posted his season’s best. The biggest surprise, though, came from Poland’s Dawid Wegner, who delivered a career-best 85.67m.

Wegner’s big throw meant Sachin Yadav had to wait nervously. He finished his group at No.6, his best effort being the first throw – and had to wait for Group B results to know his fate.

Arshad Saves Himself With Last Ditch Effort

With Neeraj making it to the final in just one throw, the Tokyo crowd expected a similar show from Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem. But things took a strange turn.

Arshad’s first throw went just 76.99m – almost 10 meters short of the qualification mark and a shocking 16 meters behind his Olympic-winning throw from Paris 2024. What was expected to be a big bang turned into a dud.

And then came the twist.

Veteran Julius Yego, one of the sport’s greats, mirrored Neeraj. For the first time this year, the 36-year-old launched a throw beyond 85m — and then calmly walked off. Yego, in the twilight of his career, reminded the world that the lion may be ageing, but his roar hasn’t faded. His technique was clean, the power intact. It was the throw of a man with pride, history, and one last run left in his legs.

Yego’s surprise effort sent a ripple through the field. Anderson Peters, still working his way back after a horrific accident in Grenada in 2022, rose to the challenge in his second attempt.

His 89.53m bomb would end up being the longest throw of the day – and set the benchmark for the final.

Meanwhile, Arshad continued to falter. His second throw was even worse than the first – 74.17m.

Just when it seemed like an India-Pakistan face-off in the final might not happen, Arshad reached deep. It wasn’t televised, but those in the stadium will tell you it was a moment that demanded everything he had. The final throw soared… and landed just where it needed to: 85.28m.

It was a last-ditch rescue mission. Considering this was only his second major competition of the year after the Asian Athletics Championships, it was impressive. A warning to the rest: Arshad is not done yet.

Men’s Javelin Final: Who’s the Favourite?

So, who all made it to the final of the men’s javelin at the World Athletics Championships?

Anderson Peters: 4th in the Diamond League 2025, still playing catch-up with Weber and Neeraj, but with the biggest throw of the qualification round.

Julian Weber: The in-form German and Diamond League champion. He beat Neeraj recently in Zurich and is gunning for gold.

Julius Yego: The lion from Kenya. A YouTube-learner turned world champ in the 2010s, perhaps ready for one last hurrah.

Arshad Nadeem: The reigning Olympic champ. Injured, rusty, but dangerous.

Neeraj Chopra: The defending world champion. Struggling for consistency this season, but always a contender.

Dawid Wegner: The Polish wildcard who stunned the field with a career-best effort. Not to be ignored.

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