GLASGOW: Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem qualified for the men’s javelin throw final of the Commonwealth Games 2026 after producing a season-best effort of 78.63 metres in the qualification round on Thursday.
Nadeem opened his campaign with a 78.63-metre throw, briefly moving ahead of India’s Neeraj Chopra, who recorded 76.48 metres on his first attempt.
However, Chopra improved his performance on his second throw, reaching 79.61 metres to move above Nadeem in the qualification standings. Nadeem’s third and final attempt measured 75.65 metres, which was enough to secure his place among the top 12 athletes advancing to the final.
Pakistan’s other javelin thrower Muhammad Yasir Sultan failed to qualify for the medal round despite improving his performance during the competition.
Yasir started with a foul attempt before recording 71.42 metres on his second throw. He produced his best effort of 74.36 metres in his final attempt but missed out on a place in the final.
The men’s javelin final will be held on Friday, where Arshad Nadeem will compete for a Commonwealth Games medal.
The qualification round also renewed the highly anticipated rivalry between Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra, with both athletes expected to compete for top honours in the final.
Chopra, who became the first Indian javelin thrower to cross the 90-metre mark, enters the final as one of the leading contenders as he aims to win another Commonwealth title after his 2018 triumph.
Apart from Nadeem and Chopra, the final will feature several world-class athletes, including two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, former world champion Julius Yego of Kenya and Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Commonwealth Games 2026 men’s javelin final is expected to be one of the most competitive events of the athletics programme, with Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra’s latest showdown drawing significant attention from fans across the world.
