Arshad Nadeem qualifies for World Athletics Championship Javelin Final

(Web Desk): Pakistan’s star javelin thrower, Arshad Nadeem, has qualified for the final of the 2025 World Athletics Championship in Tokyo with a throw of 85.28 metres. This was his first competitive appearance since the Asian Athletics Championships in Korea, and he made it count—though not without drama.

Coming off a calf surgery earlier this year in England, Arshad had missed key competitions including the Diamond League events in Switzerland and Poland. He resumed training in August and entered the World Championships with limited recent match practice. Despite this, he managed to deliver under pressure.

In the qualification round, Arshad struggled initially. His first two attempts measured 76.99m and 74.17m, well short of the automatic qualifying mark of 84.50m. Facing elimination, he produced a clutch performance in the third and final attempt, clearing 85.28m to secure a place in the final.

Group B was led by Anderson Peters, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist, who qualified with a strong 89.53m throw in his second attempt. Meanwhile, the experienced Julius Yego topped the first round with an 85.96m throw, securing his place early and skipping the next two attempts to conserve energy, especially with no rest day between qualification and the final, which takes place on September 18.

From Group A, top contenders Neeraj Chopra, Julien Weber, and Dawid Wegner also met the automatic qualifying mark and advanced directly to the final.

Arshad, who had posted his season-best 86.40m in Gumi during the Asian Championships, now has a strong chance of making a podium finish if he can replicate or surpass that mark in the final. His return to form, despite recent setbacks, is a promising sign for Pakistan’s athletics hopes.