Arshad Nadeem, the Commonwealth Games champion and world championships silver medalist, has regrettably withdrawn from the Asian Games 2023, just one day before the men’s javelin throw competition was set to unfold in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China.
Expectations were high for Nadeem, who was anticipated to offer a formidable challenge to the world’s No.1 javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra, at this continental event. However, upon arriving in Hangzhou, the Pakistani athlete voiced concerns about knee pain.
Subsequent MRI scans uncovered a longstanding knee injury that compelled the 26-year-old athlete to make the difficult decision to withdraw from the competition.
At the previous Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, Neeraj Chopra secured the gold medal, with Arshad Nadeem earning a bronze. Their rivalry continued at the Budapest World Championships earlier this year, where they claimed the top two spots in a closely contested event.
The javelin throw event at the Asian Games 2023 was highly anticipated as the latest chapter in the Neeraj Chopra vs. Arshad Nadeem showdown. Notably, Arshad Nadeem is one of just two Asian athletes to have surpassed the 90-meter mark in javelin throwing.
Arshad Nadeem achieved a personal best throw of 90.18 meters, securing the Commonwealth Games javelin throw title in Birmingham last year. Unfortunately, Neeraj Chopra had to sit out of that event due to injury.
