Arshad & Neeraj out of World Athletics Championship as Yadav stuns with career best
File photo
File photo
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk): A shocking twist at the World Athletics Championship as Pakistan’s Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem and India’s defending champion Neeraj Chopra both failed to secure a spot in the medal race.

In the Tokyo finals, Arshad Nadeem began with a throw of 82.73 meters. His second attempt was wasted, and on the third he managed 83.75 meters. Unfortunately, his fourth throw was a foul. After back-to-back fouls, he walked over to his coach Salman Butt for guidance but the pressure was already mounting.

Only the top 8 athletes from the first three rounds advance to the next stage, but Arshad fell short of making the cut and was eliminated in the initial round. This ended Pakistan’s medal hopes early in the competition.

India’s Neeraj Chopra, meanwhile, started strong with an 83.65 meter throw. His second throw was 84.03 meters, but his third was wasted and the fourth fell at 82.86 meters. He also committed a foul on his fifth attempt, leaving his medal chances slipping away.

Germany’s Julian Weber made a strong impact with a throw of 86.11 meters, but the surprise of the night came from India’s Sachin Yadav, who stunned the crowd with a career-best throw of 86.27 meters on his very first attempt.

It is important to note that Arshad Nadeem had already faced setbacks this year due to injury. He was ruled out of the World Athletics Silver Tour and the Diamond League after undergoing leg surgery in June. He later spent weeks in London for rehabilitation before returning to Lahore to train for this championship.

Read more: Slap on India’s face as Andy Pycroft apologises to Pakistan after Asia Cup controversy

Both Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra entered the championship as favorites, but sports often brings unexpected results. Injuries and fouls hurt Arshad’s rhythm, while Neeraj struggled with consistency. The spotlight shifted to Sachin Yadav, whose best career throw gave fans a new hero to cheer for. This result shows how quickly fortunes can change in competitive sports.