Arshad Nadeem cruised to the Olympic javelin final with a solid 86.59m throw in Tuesday’s qualifier round at Stade de France, keeping the nation’s hopes for an Olympic medal well and alive.

His season best throw, the first and only of the qualifier, ranks him fourth heading into Thursday’s night finals.

Reigning Olympic and world champion India’s Neeraj Chopra led the field with a massive 89.34m throw, also a season best.

Sandwiched between the two South Asians were Grenada’s Anderson Peters in second place (88.63m) and Germany’s Julian Weber in third with a 87.76m. All four athletes walked away from the qualifier round with a lone throw that saw them comfortably through to the final.

Kenya’s Rio 2016 silver medalist sealed a fifth place ranking in the final after an 85.97m throw in his third attempt, which was also a season best.

Brazil’s Luiz Maurício da Silva was having a field day as he threw a personal best and broke the South American record with an 85.91m throw to land in sixth place.

Czech powerhouse and reigning European champion Jakub Vadlejch ranks seventh in the field with an 85.63m lone throw, which stands a fair bit off from his season best 88.65m.

Finland’s Toni Keranen got off to a flying start at his Olympic debut as his 85.27m throw doubled as a personal and season best to rank him eighth.

Yet another season best was achieved as Andrian Mardare of the Republic of Moldova threw an 84.13m to place him ninth heading into the final.