Hangzhou: Star javelin thrower and regaining Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra on Wednesday will be in action in the men's Javelin throw final event whereas Pakistan star Arshad Nadeem has pulled out of the ongoing Asian Games being played here.
The 25-year-old would be keen to finish the event on a high as it is his last event of the year. Earlier this year, 'Golden Boy' Neeraj Chopra won his maiden world championship gold medal in Budapest but lost the Diamond League title against Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch last month.
The Pakistani javelin ace, Arshad Nadeem has withdrawn his name from the Asian Games due to a knee injury, ending chances of the much-awaited India-Pakistan clash in Hangzhou.
In the world of athletics, rivalries often serve as the driving force that drives athletes to go beyond limitations and achieve something extraordinary. Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem's rivalry is such a rivalry that has captured the attention of global sports fans. Both are exceptional javelin throwers. Their face-off is not just a clash of individual talents but also a symbol of the historic rivalry between India and Pakistan.
Over the years, Neeraj has won several titles, including the junior world championship. He is the first Indian to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics and the first Asian to win a gold medal at the World Championship.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, the Commonwealth Games champion and World Championships silver medal-winner from Budapest 2023, was expected to be the biggest threat to Neeraj Chopra’s title defence at Hangzhou 2023 games.
The men’s javelin throw Asian record holder, Chinese Taipei’s Chao-Tsun Cheng is also one of the participants of the men’s javelin throw final at Hangzhou 2023. Notably, Chao-Tsun Cheng and Arshad Nadeem, who has a personal best of 90.18m, are the only two Asian athletes to have breached the 90m mark in javelin throw history.
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