Neeraj vs Arshad vs Yadav – Who Won in the Javelin?

The Javelin final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships proved to be an unpredictable one as both Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem were eliminated from medal contention.

The final in Tokyo saw the latest chapter in Chopra and Nadeem’s storied rivalry.

It was the first time competing against each other since the 2024 Olympics, which saw Nadeem take the gold medal with a huge 92.97m throw. Nadeem won silver.

Meanwhile, at the World Athletics Championships in 2022, Nadeem finished fifth with a throw of 86.16m. Chopra won India’s second-ever medal at the worlds with 88.13m.

Going into the 2025 final, all eyes were on Nadeem and Chopra. But rising star Sachin Yadav had grabbed attention.

However, a stunningly off-key performance saw Chopra finish eighth, while Nadeem failed to even make the top eight, finishing tenth in a night of high drama at the World Athletics Championships.

The much-anticipated duel between the two superstars, the headline event for millions of fans, dissolved into a nervy and ultimately unsuccessful struggle for form.

Neeraj Chopra, who sailed through qualification with a single 84.85m throw, could not find his rhythm in the final.

His best effort of the night was a meagre 84.03m.

He struggled for consistency, throwing 82.86m in his fourth attempt and ultimately ended his campaign with a no-throw on his fifth attempt, which sealed his eighth-place finish and his exit from the competition.

It marks one of the toughest outings in recent years for the Indian icon, who has been a model of consistency on the world stage.

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem fared even worse in the pressure-cooker final.

After a tense qualifying round, his struggles continued as he failed to produce a throw to challenge the leaders, finishing in 10th place and missing out on a medal.

India’s hopes turned to Sachin Yadav, who put on a respectable performance.

His massive opening throw of 86.27m kept him in medal contention.

While his compatriot Chopra struggled, Sachin remained steady, producing throws of 85.71m and 84.90m in his third and fourth attempts to underline a star-making performance on the biggest stage.

However, he couldn’t find an extra gear and narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing in fourth place.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott won the gold medal with an 88.16m throw

Two-time former world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada won silver while Curtis Thompson, of the USA, won bronze.

The final, billed as a historic clash between Chopra and Nadeem, will instead be remembered as a stunning reminder of the unforgiving nature of elite sport.