Pakistan’s javelin ace Arshad Nadeem is set to go head-to-head with Indian Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra at the Diamond League meet in Silesia, Poland, on August 16.
This much-anticipated showdown will be their first meeting since the Paris Olympics, where Nadeem clinched gold with a stunning throw of 92.97 metres, while Chopra took silver with a throw of 89.45 metres.
Anderson Peters of Grenada secured bronze with a throw of 88.54 metres.
Nadeem’s appearance in Silesia comes after he recently withdrew from the World Athletics Silver Tour in Switzerland, scheduled for July 15.
The rivalry intensifies as Nadeem is also scheduled to compete in another Diamond League event in Zurich on August 27, potentially setting the stage for another showdown with Chopra.
In a recent media interaction, Nadeem opened up about his decision to skip the event, citing injury concerns.
“I’ve decided to withdraw from the Switzerland event due to a strain in my calf that I experienced during training here,” Nadeem said while speaking to the media in Lahore.
“I don’t want the strain to worsen, so this decision is in the interest of my long-term fitness.”
Nadeem emphasised that his primary focus remained on the World Athletics Championships, scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan, in September.
“My entire focus is on the World Championship, which will be held in Tokyo this September,” he stated. “I’m leaving for London on July 14 to resume training in a more suitable environment.
“I believe the quality of training and recovery in England will prepare me well for both the Diamond League and the World Championship.”