As the solitary Indian medal hope in the athletics showcase starting in Tokyo on Saturday, Neeraj Chopra will try to become just the third men’s javelin thrower in history to defend the gold at the World Championships. He bears the burden of expectations for the nation on his shoulders.
With a throw of 88.17 meters, Chopra had won gold in the 2023 competition in Budapest. Arshad Nadeem, the current Olympic champion from Pakistan, had won silver with a throw of 87.82 meters, while Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic had won bronze.
The two-time Olympic medallist Indian would become the third man in history to win the world championship javelin title in two straight editions if he wins gold on September 18, the day of the finals.
The other two who have won the world championships title twice so far are Anderson Peters of Grenada (2019 and 2022) and the renowned Czech thrower Jan Zelezny (1993 and 1995), who is currently in Tokyo with Chopra as his coach.
Chopra will play Nadeem for the first time in over a year following the 2024 Paris Olympics, providing him with an opportunity to get revenge for his second-place result in the French capital. Chopra is leading a 19-member Indian squad as the only medal contender.
Though it is the same venue where he won the Olympic gold to make history in 2021, it will not be simple for the 27-year-old Chopra to win the gold in a crowded field in Tokyo. Julian Weber of Germany, the recent Diamond League champion, and Nadeem will be among the world’s javelin royalty competing.
The field will feature strong contenders such as Grenada’s Anderson Peters, Kenya’s 2015 world champion Julius Yego, 2012 Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, seasoned campaigner Jakub Vadlejch, and Brazil’s Luiz da Silva, who recently crossed the 90m barrier with a massive 91m throw. The men’s javelin qualifying round is scheduled for September 17.
However, Weber will start as the favorite if he is in form. Three times this season, the 31-year-old German has launched the spear more than 90 meters. After winning the Diamond League trophy last month, he is confident and holds the top spot in the world with 91.51 meters.
During the Doha Diamond League in May, Chopra broke the coveted 90-meter mark, but the Indian superstar has also recorded some average distances this season. He had twice gone just over 85 meters, failed to break 85 meters in two competitions, and put forth an effort of at least 86 meters in another. This year, his second-best throw was 88.16 meters.
Chopra trailed 1-3 against Weber this season; their last encounter was at the Diamond League Final last month, where the Indian could only muster an 85.01-meter effort to finish in second place.
