This time, his focus is clear.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem has qualified for the men’s javelin final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The Olympic champion booked his place after throwing 85.28 metres in his final attempt during the qualification round.
He struggled to find his rhythm at the beginning, recording efforts of 76.99 metres and 74.17 metres in the first two rounds.
With pressure mounting, Arshad needed to cross 84.50 metres to stay alive, a target he cleared with his third attempt.
His qualification now sets the stage for a highly anticipated final on September 18, 2025, at the Japan National Stadium.
The venue holds special memories, as it was here Neeraj Chopra won Olympic gold in 2021 and Nadeem finished fifth.
The competition in Group B was led by Anderson Peters, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist, who threw 89.53 metres.
Julius Yego of Kenya also qualified automatically, hitting 85.96 metres on his first attempt before sitting out the remaining rounds.
American thrower Curtis Thompson added his name to the list with an 84.72 metre effort, securing his place in the final.
From Group A, India’s Neeraj Chopra delivered 84.85 metres, alongside Julien Weber and Dawid Wegner, both meeting the qualifying standard.
At the end of the round, Peters, Yego, and Weber topped the charts, while Wegner, Nadeem, and Chopra trailed behind them.
However, past championships have shown that qualification rankings rarely predict who shines when medals are on the line.
The 28-year-old from Mian Channu has endured a difficult season after calf surgery in England earlier this year.
His injury ruled him out of Diamond League events in Switzerland and Poland, delaying his return until the Asian Championships.
In Korea, Arshad Nadeem registered his season’s best throw of 86.40 metres.
Despite concerns, his former coach, Fiaz Bokhari, described him as agile and in form during training sessions in Lahore.
Bokhari insisted Arshad remains among the elite, capable of hitting 90 metres when it matters most on competition day.
The Pakistani star won silver at the 2023 World Championships while carrying elbow and knee injuries that required surgery later.
This time, his focus is clear: improving on last year’s silver and challenging for gold against the best in Tokyo.
Rivals Neeraj Chopra and Jakub Vadlejch, who claimed gold and bronze respectively in Budapest, remain key contenders for the podium.
Twelve athletes will fight for medals in the final, with Pakistan hopeful that Arshad Nadeem can deliver another historic performance.
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