The javelin rivalry between India's Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem is set to be renewed at the Tokyo World Championships next week. The men's javelin final, scheduled for September 18, will be the first time the two athletes have competed against each other since a deadly military conflict in May strained relations between their countries.
The public perception of their relationship has shifted significantly. In the past, the two were often described as having a friendly rapport. Nadeem's mother once referred to Chopra as "our boy," while Nadeem himself was called "like a brother." However, this has changed after the recent conflict, with both athletes under pressure to distance themselves from each other publicly. Chopra stated, "I want to clarify that I don't have a particularly strong relationship with Nadeem, we were never really close friends. But because of the current situation, things will not be as they were." Nadeem echoed a similar sentiment, telling AFP, "When he won, I congratulated him, and when I won the gold, he returned the same courtesy... It's part of the game."
Chopra, the Tokyo Olympic champion and reigning world champion, has been in fine form this season. He threw over 90m for the first time in his career with a mark of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League. However, he finished second in that event and at the Zurich Diamond League, showing that he will face stiff competition in Tokyo.
Nadeem, on the other hand, is the Paris Olympics gold medallist, where he set a Games record with a throw of 92.97m. The Pakistani athlete is making a return to competition after undergoing calf surgery in July. He has only competed once since the Paris Games, winning the Asian Athletics Championships, an event Chopra did not participate in. Despite his injury, Nadeem's doctor has said he is in "best physical shape" for the competition.
The men's javelin final is expected to be one of the most anticipated events of the World Championships. Along with Chopra and Nadeem, the field will also include Germany's Julian Weber, who has been in dominant form, and two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada. The outcome of the match will be a major test for both athletes on a global stage.