It’s hard to tell how the men’s javelin final will play out on Thursday but there were forewarnings during the qualification that it won’t be a breeze for defending champion Neeraj Chopra at the World Athletics Championships. The 27-year-old wearing a lumbar support belt didn’t break into a sweat as he sent the javelin over the automatic qualification mark of 84.50 metres in his very first throw. There is precedent to Chopra sailing through in qualification — at two Olympics and two World Championships.
All 12 throwers in the final will start afresh but it’s worth looking at how some of his challengers did during qualification.
Those who needed more than one throw either went big or had to dig deep to make the cut. But the big names showed they were ready for battle in the final even though not at their best.
Of the seven who crossed the automatic qualification mark, only Chopra and 2015 World Champion Julius Yego did it in their first throw of the evening. The 36-year-old Yego, now in the winter of his career, produced a season best of 85.96 metres in Group B. Chopra, the first to throw in Group A, registered 84.85 metres.
Getting his technique right will be key for Chopra at the National Stadium in Tokyo, the same venue at which he won his historic Olympic gold.
“I am not happy with my technique tonight but it got the job done,” Chopra said on Wednesday.
Sachin Yadav will be the second Indian representative in the final with 83.67 metres.
Pakistan’s Olympic Champion Arshad Nadeem too struggled but found a way. Following injury and surgery, Nadeem participated in only two competitions this season before Wednesday. Known to be a thrower who relies on power, Nadeem can go from average to astonishing in a short span of time. He started off with two mediocre marks; 76.99 metres and 74.17m, in Group B. The possibility of the Olympic champion not being in the final was real. He had only one more attempt. Nadeem levelled up with an all or nothing throw, with 85.28 metres he booked his place in the final. Which Nadeem will turn up for the final is anyone’s guess — an undercooked version or the mighty one who stunned the world with a first round throw of 92.97 metres at the Paris Olympics last year to leave everyone in his wake.
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Which Arshad Nadeem will turn up for the final is anyone’s guess — an undercooked version or the mighty one who stunned the world with a first round throw of 92.97 metres at the Paris Olympics last year to leave everyone in his wake. (AP Photo)
A calf surgery was a setback for Nadeem and he admitted he was unsure of the length of his run-up.
“I had surgery two months ago because of a calf injury. I was a bit confused about how much of a run-up to take, so I was just setting it up. Thankfully I qualified with the third attempt. I knew I had to take a longer run-up. Tomorrow in the final I will need to be strategic. If I can get a good run-up, I will have my throw. Anything can happen,” Nadeem said.
The world’s best in terms of distance Germany’s Julian Weber didn’t have a great start. Once he released the javelin, he turned around and looked at the runway. Just 82.29metres. Weber, the Diamond League Final winner, has not won a World Championship or Olympic medal but three 90-metre throws this season makes him a favorite this time. Weber, however, bounced back from a poor start. He improved nearly six metres to register 87.21 metres in the second round to join Chopra as an automatic qualifier in the final from Group A. Weber was relaxed and cheerful, even looking at the camera to say ‘see you tomorrow’. Weber was under the weather before the qualification.
“I have had a great season improving my personal best and winning the Diamond League final. Unfortunately, I was a bit sick here in Tokyo although I feel much better today and am happy to make the final. I worked for a long time without being injured and I’ve done a huge job to improve my technique,” Weber said.
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Jakub Vadlejch, the three-time World Championship medalist and Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, didn’t have the best day. The 34-year-old left the training group overseen by Jan Zelezny after the world record holder took up the role as Chopra’s coach. He was clearly unhappy with how things unfolded for him during qualification. He didn’t take his third throw but 84.11 metres allowed him to sneak in — 11th out of the 12 who qualified for the final. Vadlejch, like Nadeem, has had injury issues, a ruptured knee tendon limiting his appearances this year. “I am already an older guy in the field, so I skipped the third attempt,” Vadlejch said.
But as has been the case in previous major events, Grenada’s Anderson Peters could be the one to watch out for, along with Weber and Nadeem. The former two-time World Champion from Grenada surprised himself with a throw of 89.53m in the second round to storm into the final. He thumped his chest after topping qualification. “The plan was to qualify with just one throw and be done with it. Unfortunately, my first throw was six centimetres short of a big Q, so I was forced to do a second one. I didn’t feel I had to do it but I did not expect to be throwing 89 metres right now,” Peters said. He had laid down the marker, but everyone starts from scratch in the final. Like Nadeem said ‘anything can happen’.
Which Arshad Nadeem will turn up for the final is anyone’s guess — an undercooked version or the mighty one who stunned the world with a first round throw of 92.97 metres at the Paris Olympics last year to leave everyone in his wake. (AP Photo)