Pakistan's Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has admitted that the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will bring extra pressure because he walks in as the defending champion, and that his long running rivalry with India's Neeraj Chopra is about to resume on the same track. Nadeem will lead the Pakistan contingent at the Commonwealth Games, which get underway in Glasgow from July 23, and he is set to face Chopra again in a duel that has captivated athletics fans on both sides of the border for years.
More pressure, but preparation is solid: Nadeem
Speaking on Monday, Nadeem said there will be more pressure on him this time simply because of the tag of defending champion, but he added that his preparation has been solid. He said it feels good to be returning to competition and that his goal in Glasgow is to successfully defend the Commonwealth Games gold medal he already holds. He also said he knows exactly what is required of him to win the title again in what is expected to be a tightly contested event.
Birmingham gold, Paris heartbreak
Chopra had missed the last edition of the Commonwealth Games because of an injury, which allowed Nadeem a clear run at gold. Nadeem won that title in Birmingham in 2022 with a throw of 90.18 metres. Since then the two javelin throwers have met on the biggest stages in the sport, but Nadeem's only major win over Chopra came at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he claimed gold with a massive throw of 92.97 metres.
A disappointing reunion in Tokyo
The two rivals have crossed paths many times in recent years, but their most recent meeting, at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, ended in disappointment for both camps. Chopra finished eighth and Nadeem came in tenth, a result that left fans on both sides unhappy, especially since both athletes were carrying injuries at the time.
A Swiss tune up before Glasgow
Nadeem, who is 29, is currently training with his coach in Lahore. He said that before heading to the Commonwealth Games he plans to compete in an international event in Switzerland, which he believes will help him gauge his current strength and physical condition ahead of the bigger challenge in Glasgow.
