Will Neeraj Chopra face Arshad Nadeem at World Championships? Here’s what Pakistani javelin star’s doctor has said – Firstpost

It’s official! Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem will be facing each other for the first time since their epic showdown in the Paris Olympics last year at the World Athletics Championships that will be taking place later this month in Tokyo, Japan.
Nadeem denied Chopra back-to-back gold medals at the world’s biggest sporting event with a monster 92.97m throw in the French capital, smashing the Olympic record in the process.

And Nadem will be hoping to add the World Championship gold to his collection after being declared fit for the event. The 28-year-old had undergone surgery on his right calf in England in July. And earlier this week, his doctor Asad Abbas confirmed that Nadeem has recovered and is ready to compete in the Worlds.

“Arshad has fully recovered, and I have monitored his rehab and the progress. I am sure he will be right up there to compete with Neeraj and all others who will be lined up for the javelin event,” Abbas was quoted by Telecom Asia as saying.

Can Chopra beat Nadeem to World Championships gold again? 

Chopra, meanwhile, will be hoping to reclaim bragging rights from his fierce rival, whom he also shares good relations with off the field, in the city where he first shot to superstardom. It was in Tokyo, after all, where he had won a historic gold medal in the 2020 Olympics, becoming only the second Indian after shooting legend Abhinav Bindra to win an individual gold, as well as the first Indian to medal in athletics.

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Chopra and Nadeem had won gold and silver respectively in the previous edition of the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, with the former winning the title with a best effort of 88.17m.

The upcoming World Championships will be taking place from 13 to 21 September, with the men’s javelin qualification and finals taking place on the 17th and 18th respectively.