Arshad Nadeem confirms participation in CWG 2026 where he will face Neeraj Chopra

The men’s javelin’s biggest rivalry is set to return to the Commonwealth Games. Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem confirmed on Monday (July 13) that he will compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, setting up a highly anticipated clash with India’s Neeraj Chopra later this month.

The Games, which begin on July 23, will mark the first Commonwealth meeting between the two since Birmingham 2022, where Chopra was forced to withdraw due to injury. Nadeem, who will lead Pakistan’s athletics contingent in Glasgow, admitted that there will be more pressure this time when he returns as the defending Commonwealth champion.

“There is more pressure on me as I am the defending champion in the upcoming games but I have prepared well,” Nadeem told PTI.

“It’s good to be back in competition and yes, I want to successfully defend my Commonwealth Games gold medal in Glasgow,” he added.

CWG 2026: NEERAJ vs ARSHDAD

The Glasgow Games will also be the first time Chopra and Nadeem will face each other since the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where both suffered disappointments. Struggling with injuries, Chopra finished eighth while Nadeem finished tenth in what was a rare day for the world’s two biggest names in javelin.

The two have shared one of the most impressive track and field rivalries in recent years, regularly finishing side by side at the sport’s biggest events.

Nadeem’s most famous win over Chopra came at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the Pakistani stunned the field with an Olympic record throw of 92.97m to win gold while Chopra settled for silver. It remains Nadeem’s only major win over the Indian superstar.

The Pakistani also won Commonwealth gold in Birmingham 2022 with a best throw of 90.18m after Chopra withdrew from the Games due to injury, denying the fans what would have been their first Commonwealth showdown.

“I know what I have to do to win the title again in a strong field,” said Nadeem.

The 29-year-old revealed he will attend an international meet in Switzerland before traveling to Glasgow, using the event as his final tune-up ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

For Chopra, the Commonwealth Games offer an opportunity to reclaim the title he won on the Gold Coast in 2018, while for Nadeem it is a chance to prove that his triumph in Birmingham was not a one-off. With both fit again and back on the international circuit, one of athletics’ greatest rivalries is set for its next chapter in Glasgow.

NEERAJ CHOPRA vs ARSHAD NADEEM: TIMING

The men’s javelin final is scheduled for July 31. Start is from 23:00 IST. The javelin final is expected to last past midnight.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

13 Jul 2026 22:06 IST