FEW NATIONS have a fiercer socio-political rivalry than India and Pakistan, creating an intense neighborly battle for spear supremacy here.
The two principals in this mini-drama, India’s Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who went 1-2 in last year’s WC, both opened with fouls, leaving ’12 champ Keshorn Walcott the leader with a season best 282-8 (86.16). He would throw no farther.
In round 2, 2-time world champ Anderson Peters took the lead with his 288-3 (87.87). After a Walcott foul, Nadeem was up, and did he deliver. He unleashed a massive 305-0 (92.97), breaking Andreas Thorkildsen’s Olympic Record of 297-1 (90.57), and was now suddenly No.6 on the all-time list.
That throw woke up the field. Defending champ Chopra responded with 293-5 (89.45), his No. 2 all-time performance. He was then followed by Julian Weber (286-9/87.33) and Julius Yego (287-9/87.87).
In round 3, Nadeem didn’t improve, although his 291-1 (88.72) was good enough to medal in all previous Games. Chopra fouled, while Jakub Vadlejch moved into 3rd after his 290-4 (88.50).
Chopra fouled again in round 4, as only Peters would improve after his 290-6 (88.54) thrust him into bronze position, 2 inches in front of Vadlejch.
With Chopra bitten by the foul bug his last 4 throws, he would settle for silver.
Nadeem capped his day with a 301-1 (91.79) effort in the 6th round, putting the cherry on the cake for Pakistan’s first ever track & field gold — and first individual Olympic gold in any sport.
For Nadeem, whose previous best was 295-10 [90.18] from the ‘22 Commonwealth Games, Paris was only his seventh competition since ’22. He relived his golden moment, saying, “When I threw the javelin, I got the feel of it leaving my hand, and sensed it could be an Olympic Record, inshallah [God willing]. God indeed made it an Olympic Record.”
The confident champion added, “I was expecting and hoping to even go farther but ultimately, I am content with 92.97 as it allowed me to win the gold. But I will continue working harder to extend this throw to over 95m [311-8].”
Chopra, who lost to Nadeem for the first time in their 10 career meetings, reflected, “It was a good throw. I’m not that happy with my performance today and also my technique and runway was not that good. Only one throw, the rest I fouled.
“Today’s competition was really great. Arshad Nadeem threw really well. Congratulations to him and his country.”
MEN’S JAVELIN RESULTS
FINAL (August 08)
(temperature 79F/26C; humidity 40%)
1. Arshad Nadeem (Pak) 305-0 (92.97) (6, x W) (OR)
(f, 305-0, 291-1, 260-6, 278-5, 301-1) (f, 92.97, 88.72, 79.40, 84.87, 91.79);
2. Neeraj Chopra (Ind) 293-5 (89.45)
(f, 293-5, f, f, f, f) (f, 89.45, f, f, f, f);
3. Anderson Peters (Grn) 290-6 (88.54)
(277-11, 288-3, f, 290-6, 286-8, 268-5) (84.70, 87.87, f, 88.54, 87.38, 81.83);
4. Jakub Vadlejch (CzR) 290-4 (88.50)
(262-11, 277-3, 290-4, f, 278-10, 273-2) (80.15, 84.52, 88.50, f, 84.98, 83.27);
5. Julius Yego (Ken) 287-9 (87.72)
(263-5, 287-9, f, 278-6, 272-11, 267-8) (80.29, 87.72, f, 84.90, 83.20, 81.58);
6. Julian Weber (Ger) 286-9 (87.40)
(f, 286-6, f, 284-11, 286-9, 275-10) (f, 87.33, f, 86.85, 87.40, 84.09);
7. Keshorn Walcott (Tri) 282-8 (86.16)
(282-8, f, 271-11, 259-1, 252-2, p) (86.16, f, 82.89, 78.96, 76.86, p);
8. Lassi Etelätalo (Fin) 277-6 (84.58)
(258-6, 254-7, 277-6, 269-1, f, 268-0) (78.81, 77.60, 84.58, 82.02, f, 81.69);
9. Oliver Helander (Fin) 271-3 (82.68)
(266-6, 271-3, f) (81.24, 82.68, f);
10. Toni Keränen (Fin) 265-6 (80.92)
(265-6, 247-1, 258-10) (80.92, 75.33, 78.90);
11. Luiz da Silva (Bra) 264-8 (80.67)
(264-8, 258-1, f) (80.67, 78.67, f);
12. Andrian Mardare (Mol) 262-9 (80.10)
(259-8, 262-9, 255-2) (79.14, 80.10, 77.77).
(best-ever mark-for-place: 5–8)
| * = progression of the leading throw; ¶ = athlete’s best of the day | |||
| first 3 rounds | |||
| Vadlejch | 80.15* | 84.52 | 88.50¶ |
| Peters | 84.70* | 87.87* | f |
| Walcott | 86.16*¶ | f | 82.89 |
| Nadeem | f | 92.97*¶ | 88.72 |
| Weber | f | 87.33 | f |
| Yego | 80.29 | 87.72¶ | f |
| Etelätalo | 78.81 | 77.60 | 84.58¶ |
| Chopra | f | 89.45¶ | f |
| Mardare | 79.14 | 80.10¶ | 77.77 |
| Helander | 81.24 | 82.68¶ | f |
| da Silva | 80.67¶ | 78.67 | f |
| Keränen | 80.92¶ | 75.33 | 78.90 |
| rounds 4 & 5 | |||
| Etelätalo | 82.02 | f | |
| Walcott | 78.96 | 76.86 | |
| Weber | 86.85 | 87.40¶ | |
| Yego | 84.90 | 83.20 | |
| Peters | 88.54¶ | 87.38 | |
| Vadlejch | f | 84.98 | |
| Chopra | f | f | |
| Nadeem | 79.40 | 84.87 | |
| last round | |||
| Etelätalo | 81.69 | ||
| Walcott | p | ||
| Weber | 84.09 | ||
| Yego | 81.58 | ||
| Vadlejch | 83.27 | ||
| Peters | 81.83 | ||
| Chopra | f | ||
| Nadeem | 91.79 | ||
QUALIFYING (August 06; auto-qualifier 275-7/84.00)
Qualifiers: Chopra 293-1 (89.34), Peters 290-9 (88.63), Weber 287-11 (87.76), Nadeem 284-1 (86.59), Yego 282-0 (85.97), Da Silva 281-10 (85.91) NR, Vadlejch 280-11 (85.63), Keränen 279-9 (85.27) PR, Mardare (Mol) 276-0 (84.13), Helander 274-11 (83.81), Walcott 272-4 (83.02), Etelätalo 272-0 (82.91);
Non-qualifiers: Genki Dean (Jpn) 270-7 (82.48) (longest ever non-qualifier), Marcin Krukowski (Pol) 270-2 (82.34), Artur Felfner (Ukr) 268-6 (81.84), Cameron McEntyre (Aus) 266-4 (81.18), Alexandru Novac (Rom) 266-0 (81.08), Kishore Kumar Jena (Ind) 264-10 (80.73), Pedro Henrique Rodrigues (Bra) 260-8 (79.46), Timothy Herman (Bel) 260-7 (79.42), Edis Matusevičius (Lit) 260-6 (79.40), Max Dehning (Ger) 260-0 (79.24), Cyprian Mrzygłód (Pol) 257-6 (78.50), Chinecherem Nnamdi (Ngr) 254-4 (77.53), Patriks Gailums (Lat) 253-6 (77.26), Dawid Wegner (Pol) 252-3 (76.89), Curtis Thompson (US) 251-11 (76.79), Leandro Ramos (Por) 248-5 (75.73), Mustafa Mahmoud Abdel Khaliq (Egy) 245-7 (74.87), Ihab Abdelrahman (Egy) 239-5 (72.98);… 3f—Gatis Čakšs (Lat), Teuraiterai Tupaia (Fra).
(best-ever mark-for-place: 9q)
