Tokyo: In the blockbuster men’s javelin throw final at the World Athletics Championships 2025, Neeraj Chopra started with a throw of 83.65m and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem followed him closely with throw of 82.73m.
Defending champion Chopra has been placed fourth in the first throw order list. Olympic champion Nadeem has been placed at the 3rd spot on first throw list.
Another Indian athlete Sachin Yadav began with a throw of 86.27m. Germany’s Julian Weber is also a strong contender.
Both Chopra and Nadeem advanced comfortably from the qualification round on Wednesday, setting up what is anticipated to be their first World Championships final showdown since the Paris Olympics. Weber enters having posted the season’s best mark: 91.51 metres at the Zurich Diamond League on August 28.
Also in the mix are Anderson Peters, Jakub Vadlejch, and Keshorn Walcott—athletes who could disrupt podium predictions. India has a second finalist in Sachin Yadav, giving it two throwers in the medal round.
Ahead of the final, Arshad Nadeem said, “My competition is always against Arshad Nadeem. I have my competitions against myself. I am in good shape and well prepared for the contest in Tokyo.” He added that many of his main rivals are the same ones from the Paris Olympics, making it a contest he expects to be intense.
Looking at their best seasonal and personal marks: Nadeem’s top performance came in Paris 2025, where he broke the Olympic record with a throw of 92.97m, while Chopra’s best this year was 90.23m, achieved at the Doha Diamond League.
Chopra is expected to open with a strong throw in the mid-85 metre range to put pressure on his rivals, then build from there. Weber’s flat, piercing release could benefit in the calmer moments of the day, while Nadeem’s rhythm in the final steps may give him a late carry if everything clicks.
All eyes will be on the early rounds and who responds under pressure.