Chopra and Nadeem Set for First Clash Since India-Pakistan Tensions
The athletics world will witness a high-profile javelin showdown as Tokyo Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and his Paris Olympic successor, Arshad Nadeem, go head-to-head at the upcoming World Championships. This will be their first meeting since a four-day conflict in May, the worst between the nuclear-armed neighbours since 1999.
Chopra, who won silver behind Nadeem at the Paris Games, had often spoken warmly of his Pakistani rival despite the political tensions. After Nadeem’s gold medal in Paris, the Pakistani’s mother, Raziah Parveen, called the pair “like brothers,” while Chopra’s mother, Saroj, said she felt comfort that her son was beaten by someone she considered “also our boy.”
However, relations between the two athletes have cooled publicly since the conflict. Chopra, 27, said they were “never really close friends,” and Nadeem, 28, echoed the sentiment, noting their interactions have always been professional.
“When he won, I congratulated him, and when I won the gold, he returned the same courtesy,” Nadeem told AFP, adding, “Just as in wrestling, one wrestler wins and the other loses – it’s part of the game.”
Invitation Withdrawn Amid Tensions
Nadeem, who is returning to competition after calf surgery in July, rose to prominence after winning Pakistan’s first Olympic gold in 40 years with a record-breaking throw of 92.97m. Since Paris, he has competed only once, winning the Asian Athletics Championships in May.
Earlier this year, Chopra invited Nadeem to India for the ‘Neeraj Chopra Classic’ javelin event, but the Pakistani declined due to training commitments. Following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people and escalated tensions, Chopra withdrew the invitation.
“I want to clarify that I don’t have a particularly strong relationship with Nadeem; we were never really close friends,” Chopra said. “But if someone speaks to me with respect, I always respond in kind.”
Chopra in Form Ahead of Worlds
Chopra remains in fine form under Czech coach Jan Zelezny, having broken the 90m mark for the first time this season with a 90.23m throw in Doha. He finished second to Germany’s Julian Weber at the Zurich Diamond League with a throw of 85.01m.
Joining Chopra and Nadeem in Tokyo will be Weber, along with two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada. The World Championships kick off Saturday, with the men’s javelin final scheduled for September 18.
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