Daijiworld Media Network - Tokyo

Tokyo, Sep 17: Neeraj Chopra, India’s javelin superstar and defending world champion, needed just one throw to remind the world of his dominance at the World Athletics Championships. With a smooth 84.85m effort — surpassing the automatic qualifying mark of 84.50m — the 27-year-old sealed his place in Thursday’s final in trademark fashion.

This marks the fifth consecutive global competition where Chopra has qualified for the final on his very first attempt, showcasing not only his immense talent but also unmatched consistency. From the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 to last year’s Paris Games, Chopra has made a habit of making the difficult look routine.

Adding to India’s joy, Sachin Yadav delivered his best-ever performance on the international stage to also qualify for the final. Starting with a modest 80.16m in Group A, Yadav built momentum and closed with an impressive 83.67m, finishing 10th overall to join the elite 12-man final lineup.

Unfortunately, Rohit Yadav (77.81m) and Yash Vir Singh (77.51m) fell short of the qualification mark and did not advance.

The stage is now set for a high-stakes final, with a familiar face waiting in the wings — Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan. The reigning Olympic champion and Chopra’s long-time rival launched an 85.28m throw to comfortably book his place, renewing the highly anticipated India-Pakistan duel that has captivated athletics fans across the subcontinent.

Their last major face-off came at the Paris Olympics, where Nadeem stunned with a 92.97m throw, while Chopra claimed silver with 89.45m.

Germany’s Julian Weber also made waves, bouncing back from an opening 82.29m to deliver a season-best 87.21m on his second try. Brazil’s Luiz da Silva, another top contender, remains a threat heading into the final.

While Weber and da Silva lead the 2025 season rankings, Chopra holds the Indian national record of 90.23m, set earlier this year in Doha — a reminder that he’s more than capable of reclaiming the top spot.

The men's javelin final is scheduled for 3:53 PM IST on Thursday, and with Chopra, Yadav, Nadeem, and Weber in the mix, fireworks are all but guaranteed.