TOKYO: After his two failed attempts to make it to the javelin final, doubts and audible murmurs of shock hung heavy in the air at the Japan National Stadium — that is, until Arshad Nadeem dispelled them all with a single throw of 85.28m to advance to Thursday’s big draw at the World Athletics Championships.

The burden of expectation came from all sides. Arshad became an Olympic champion and record holder last year in a headline-grabbing moment few can forget. He won silver at the last World Championships to qualify for the Paris Olympics, and he is the only athlete and medal hope for Pakistan at the ongoing worlds.

Everyone was waiting with bated breath to see whether Arshad would qualify for the final. A 76.99m opening throw spelt disaster; it was far off from the qualifying mark of 84.50m, and the worst he’s ever thrown in years.

His second throw of 74.17m left people in shock. A collective gasp from the stadium was followed by a foreboding silence. Arshad’s surgery and rehab two months ago came to the forefront in analyses about his poor performance.

“In my mind, I knew I would qualify. And God willing, I did,” Arshad causally said in a media interview with World Athletics as he ran a thumb across his forehead and flicked the sweat off.

Here the nation, and the world, was in denial and stress, doing mental gymnastics over javelin rankings for the finals; but the 28-year-old athlete was cool as a cucumber about it. Or as cool as one can be when the day’s highest temperature reached 35 degrees in Tokyo.

“As you all know, I had surgery just two months ago because of a calf injury. I was a bit confused about how much of a run-up to take, so I was just setting that up. Thanks to God, I qualified on the third attempt,” he said of his 85.28m throw that placed him fifth in the heat rankings.

“The nation’s prayers are with me, and I hope I perform well like this in tomorrow’s final.”

Arshad then broke down the technicalities of his throws.

“I knew I had to take a longer run-up; I opened my mind to that,” he said. “Tomorrow is the final, I’ll need to be strategic and think about it going in. I haven’t had much practice with my run-ups since my surgery, so that’s something I need to focus on tomorrow. If I can get a good run-up, I’ll have my throw.”

And while the nation wants a medal, Arshad thinks otherwise.

“The goal tomorrow is to do my best. Whatever else God has written for me is what shall happen,” he said in quintessential Arshad fashion.

Agencies add: The stage is now set for perhaps the most keenly awaited clash in the field events between Arshad and the man he deposed in Paris last year, India’s Neeraj Chopra.

The 27-year-old Chopra sent his spear to 84.85m in his first throw in the Group A of the qualification round.

Chopra feels right at home in the stadium where he won Olympic gold four years ago, albeit with empty stands owing to Covid restrictions.

“That Olympic gold medal changed everything for me,” he said. “After winning it, I started to believe in myself.”

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025