5 min readAug 9, 2024 02:51 AM IST
First published on: Aug 6, 2024 at 11:05 AM IST
Arshad Nadeem wins Olympics gold, Men’s Javelin Throw: India’s Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem shared the top two steps of the podium once more at the Paris Olympics. Only this time, it was Arshad Nadeem, who threw the spear over the hallowed 90m mark twice in the Olympics final to claim gold while Neeraj Chopra registered only one good throw on the night. But the Indian claimed his second Olympic medal with a best throw of 89.45metres. Arshad Nadeem, in fact, had three out of the top four throws on the night, including the Olympic record setting throw of 92.97 metres and a throw of 91.79 metres with his final attempt.
In the previous nine competitions that the India’s javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra had competed in an event that also had Arshad Nadeem, the Indian had ended ahead of the Pakistani nine time with Arshad Nadeem never finishing ahead of Neeraj Chopra.
Until Thursday night, at the Stade de France in Paris.
In sports like cricket and hockey, the two nations have a terse rivalry.
In athletics, this is only the second time when there is a rivalry between an Indian and a Pakistani athlete worthy of mention.
The last time it happened was in the 1960s when Indian track legend Milkha Singh and Pakistan’s Abdul Khaliq used to be one of the most anticipated rivalries. During the 1960 Indo-Pak meet, the then-Pakistani President Muhammad Ayub Khan famously called Milkha Singh the “Flying Sikh” after his stellar performance. Similarly, India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, honoured Khaliq with the title “The Flying Bird of Asia” in 1954.
The Neeraj and Arshad rivalry started at the South Asian Games in 2016, where they finished first and second, respectively. Thereafter in the World U20 Athletics Championships in 2016, Neeraj Chopra topped the group with a 78.20m throw and went on to win the gold in the final with 86.48m, while Nadeem had failed to make the final.
Neeraj Chopra makes a throw during the men’s Javelin Throw event at the 27th National Federation Senior Athletics Competition, in Bhubaneswar, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Neeraj won gold in the event. (PTI Photo)
However, since then Arshad Nadeem has been steadily closing the gap with India’s Neeraj Chopra, posing a growing threat to Chopra’s dominance. Although Nadeem has yet to beat Chopra in direct competition, he holds a personal best advantage. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Nadeem won gold with a remarkable 90.18m throw, surpassing world champion Anderson Peters and becoming only the second Asian to break the 90m barrier. In contrast, Chopra’s personal best is 89.94m, set at the 2022 Stockholm Diamond League. As Nadeem continues to improve, he may soon challenge Chopra’s supremacy in the men’s javelin throw circuit.
Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem: A friendship beyond border
Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem’s friendship is a shining example of sportsmanship. Over the years the dup have showcased camaraderie beyond competition. After the Tokyo Olympics, a controversy arose when Nadeem used Chopra’s javelin for practice, and a war erupted on social media between Indian and Pakistan fans. However, Chopra promptly defended Nadeem, stating, “Arshad using my javelin was within the rules. Please don’t use my name for sensationalism.”
Since then, the two athletes have frequently displayed their mutual respect and friendship. Notably, after Chopra’s historic gold medal win at the Budapest World Championships, he invited Nadeem for a photo opportunity. Nadeem, searching for a Pakistani flag, put his search on hold and joined Copra. Their heartwarming moment went viral on social media.
“I don’t use my mobile much before the competition but today I looked at it and the first thing was India vs Pakistan,” Neeraj Chopra said later. “I felt good that Arshad threw well and we discussed how both our countries are growing now. Earlier there were European athletes but now we have reached their level.”
Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem: Head-to-head record
Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem: Personal best throws
Gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, of India, and silver medalist Arshad Nadeem, of Pakistan, right, pose after finishing the Men's javelin throw final during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) 
Neeraj Chopra makes a throw during the men’s Javelin Throw event at the 27th National Federation Senior Athletics Competition, in Bhubaneswar, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Neeraj won gold in the event. (PTI Photo)
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