Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem secured his place in the men's javelin throw final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo with a determined effort of 85.28m. Competing for the first time since the Asian Championships, Nadeem kept fans on edge, as he left it late to hit the qualification mark.
The Olympic silver medallist struggled in his opening two attempts, recording 76.99m and 74.17m, well below the automatic qualifying distance of 84.50m. However, he rose to the occasion in his third and final throw, sailing past the mark to keep his medal hopes alive.
Group B saw an outstanding show from Paris Olympic bronze medallist Anderson Peters, who fired an 89.53m throw on his second attempt to comfortably lead the field. Kenya's Julius Yego,
the former world champion, impressed as well, producing 85.96m on his very first throw before opting out of the remaining two attempts to conserve energy ahead of the final. American Curtis Thompson also advanced directly with an efficient 84.72m effort.
In Group A, India's Neeraj Chopra, the reigning world and Olympic champion, led his country's charge by qualifying with an 84.85m throw. Germany's Julian Weber and Poland's Dawid Wegner also cleared the automatic standard to seal their spots.
By the end of qualification, Peters, Yego, and Weber occupied the top three spots, followed by Wegner, Nadeem, and Chopra. Despite the standings, history has shown that qualification rankings don't always predict the final outcome.
With just over 24 hours separating qualification from the medal showdown on September 18, the stage is set for a high-voltage clash. Neeraj Chopra will aim to defend his crown, while Arshad Nadeem eyes an upgrade from his silver medal at Budapest to a historic gold in Tokyo.
