Season-best 78.63m sends Arshad Nadeem into Commonwealth Games javelin final

WEB DESK: Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem qualified for the Commonwealth Games 2026 men’s javelin final on Thursday after registering a season-best throw of 78.63 metres in the qualification round in Glasgow on Thursday.

Nadeem opened with the 78.63m effort, briefly moving ahead of India’s Neeraj Chopra, who managed 76.48m with his first throw. Chopra, however, improved to 79.61m on his second attempt to finish ahead in the qualification standings. Nadeem’s third and final throw measured 75.65m, securing him a place among the top 12 finalists.

Pakistan’s second entrant, Muhammad Yasir Sultan, began with a foul before recording 71.42m on his second attempt. He improved to 74.36m with his final throw but missed out on qualification for the medal round.

The top 12 athletes progressed to the final, where Nadeem will compete for a medal on Friday.

The qualification round renewed the much-anticipated rivalry between Nadeem and Chopra, one of the most closely followed contests in international athletics, with another head-to-head battle expected in the final.

India has fielded three athletes in the event, with Rohit Yadav and Yash Vir Singh competing alongside Chopra, while former Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago also features in what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive javelin fields of the Games.

Commonwealth Games 2026 men’s javelin throw entry list

• Cameron McEntyre — Australia
• Keyshawn Strachan — The Bahamas
• Ben East — England
• Anderson Peters — Grenada
• Neeraj Chopra — India
• Rohit Yadav — India
• Yash Vir Singh — India
• Elvis Graham — Jamaica
• Julius Yego — Kenya
• Chinecherem Nnamdi — Nigeria
• Arshad Nadeem — Pakistan
• Muhammad Yasir — Pakistan
• Lakona Gerega — Papua New Guinea
• Douw Smit — South Africa
• Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage — Sri Lanka
• Sumedha Ranasinghe — Sri Lanka
• Keshorn Walcott — Trinidad and Tobago
• Usufono Eneli — Tuvalu

Key contenders

Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan): The Olympic gold medallist remains among the biggest threats in the field, with a potential clash against Chopra set to be one of the tournament’s most-watched contests.

Neeraj Chopra (India): The first Indian thrower to breach the 90-metre mark enters as a leading favourite as he chases the Commonwealth title he last won in 2018.

Anderson Peters (Grenada): A two-time world champion, Peters has been a fixture among the sport’s elite and is expected to be firmly in medal contention.

Julius Yego (Kenya): The former world champion carries significant big-stage experience and remains capable of troubling the favourites.

Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago): The former Olympic champion adds further depth to an already stacked field.