Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem could not defend his Commonwealth Games javelin title in Glasgow. He finished ninth in the final and was eliminated after the first three rounds.
Nadeem had safely qualified for the final a day earlier. In tough windy conditions at Scotstoun Stadium, he threw 78.63 metres and finished seventh among the 12 athletes who advanced. No one reached the automatic mark of 84 metres.
In the final, however, his form dropped. His first throw was a foul. He then recorded 77.41 metres and 75.39 metres. The best mark of 77.41 metres left him in ninth place. Only the top eight throwers moved on to the final three attempts.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won gold with a strong throw of 89.75 metres. India’s Neeraj Chopra took silver with 85.83 metres, and teammate Yash Vir Singh claimed bronze with 85.41 metres.
The result was a big disappointment for Pakistani fans. Nadeem had won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with a Games record of 90.18 metres. As the reigning Olympic champion, high hopes rested on him to retain the title.
