The much-anticipated face-off between India’s Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem is finally set to unfold once again — this time at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland on August 16. It will be the first meeting between the two javelin giants since their showdown at the Paris Olympics 2024, where Neeraj finished on the podium and Nadeem made history for Pakistan.Chopra, who recently breached the elusive 90-metre mark at the Doha Diamond League with a throw of 90.23m, has continued to impress on the global stage. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking to ANI at an event, the Olympic and World Champion on Friday emphasised his steady, step-by-step approach to pushing his limits: “I believe in going step-by-step. I have touched 90 m now, so I would like to increase it by one or two metres. Then aim for 95 m. As Sumit (Antil) said, 95 m is indeed possible. Then, after that, I would try breaking my coach’s record.”That coach is Jan Zelezny, the world record holder (98.48m), and someone Chopra greatly admires.“He has thrown 98m, and so many over 90. Maybe once I hit 95m, then I can start to say something — but right now, I need to keep working,” he added.
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Chopra’s 2025 season has been stellar: a win in South Africa, a second-place finish in Doha, top-two finishes in Poland, Paris, and Ostrava, and most recently, a dominant 86.18m win at the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru.As the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (Sept 13–21) approaches, Chopra is focused on defending his crown. “I am preparing well for it and I hope to give my level best there. It is the biggest and most important competition of the year,” he said.His clash with Arshad Nadeem in Poland may not carry Olympic stakes, but for fans across both nations, it promises plenty of excitement and perhaps a preview of battles yet to come.
