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Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem has been declared “fully fit” by his doctor, setting the stage for a blockbuster showdown with India’s reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, beginning September 13.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The 28-year-old underwent surgery on his right calf in Cambridge in July 2025, forcing him to miss the Diamond League circuit. His return has heightened anticipation for what promises to be one of the highlights of the tournament.Dr. Asad Abbas, who supervised Nadeem’s recovery, expressed complete satisfaction with his rehabilitation.“Arshad has fully recovered, and I have monitored his rehab and progress. I am sure he will be right up there to compete with Neeraj and all others who will be lined up for the javelin event,” Abbas told Telecom Asia Sport. He added: “I am confident he will achieve better results than he did in Paris.”
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The Chopra–Nadeem rivalry has become one of athletics’ most compelling narratives. At the Budapest World Championships in 2023, Chopra clinched gold with a throw of 88.17m, edging Nadeem’s silver-winning 87.82m by just 35 centimeters. While Chopra boasts Olympic gold from Tokyo 2021 (87.58m) and multiple continental titles, Nadeem etched his name into history at the Paris Olympics 2024, unleashing a mammoth 92.97m throw to secure Pakistan’s first Olympic gold in 32 years.However, Nadeem’s preparations for Tokyo have faced hurdles. His coach Salman Butt revealed that torrential rains in Lahore disrupted throwing practice at Punjab Stadium.“Training has been affected by the rains that have been ongoing for the past several days. Throwing practice is very risky during the rainy season,” Butt said. “Hopefully, after the rains stop, we will focus on throwing.”Despite weather setbacks, Butt confirmed that Nadeem is training “vigorously” and remains on track for Tokyo. His comeback against Chopra is expected to captivate not just the subcontinent but the global athletics community, as two of the sport’s biggest names prepare for a historic clash.
