Neeraj Chopra, India’s Olympic medallist and world champion javelin thrower, will begin his title defence at the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Japan, as he is set to compete in the men’s javelin throw qualifiers on Wednesday.
The javelin throw final is scheduled for Thursday, September 18, at the National Stadium in Tokyo.
Neeraj’s event at the World Athletics Championships 2025, both the qualifiers and the final, will be available via live telecast and streaming in India. The live telecast will be on Star Sports, and the live streaming will be on Jio Hotstar.
Neeraj Chopra vs. Arshad Nadeem is a major highlight
The 27-year-old’s clash with Pakistani arch-rival and reigning Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem will be one of the major highlights of the competition.
At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Neeraj made history by becoming the first Indian to win gold with a throw of 88.17m, while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem took silver with 87.82m.
Currently ranked world No. 2, Neeraj is chasing a third successive medal at the World Championships.
Neeraj Chopra’s national record throw in Doha earlier this year
In May, he broke the 90m barrier with a national record throw of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League, placing him third behind Germany’s Julian Weber and Brazil’s Luiz da Silva.
Besides them, five other athletes—including Arshad—have thrown beyond 90m in previous competitions.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Arshad set an Olympic record with a throw of 92.97m.
In Thursday’s final, a total of 37 throwers, split across two groups, will compete for 12 spots. Those reaching the automatic qualifying mark of 84.50m, or the best 12 overall, will advance to the final.
Neeraj has been placed in Group A of the qualifiers, while Arshad is in Group B.
Apart from Neeraj, three other Indians are in contention: Sachin Yadav (Group A), Rohit Yadav and Yashvir Singh (Group B).
Chopra has been handed a wild card as defending champion, while the other three qualified through world rankings.
Diamond League champion Julian Weber of Germany will start as the favourite, having been the most consistent thrower this season. The 31-year-old has crossed the 90m mark three times this year and leads the world with a 91.51m throw.
Neeraj Chopra, World Athletics Championships 2025, men’s javelin throw, Tokyo National Stadium, sports news
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