Star javelin throwers from across the border Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem have been known for their bonhomie and camaraderie off the pitch. They may be fierce competitors but have a healthy respect for each other.

Both Arshad and Neeraj are getting ready for the upcoming outdoor season. While Chopra is currently training in Turkey, the 27-year-old Nadeem’s preparations have hit a ‘snag’. The Pakistani recently said that he was struggling to acquire an international standard javelin for many years and has been “using one for the past seven to eight years.”

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Chopra, the world and defending Olympic champion, is rather surprised to hear this. Chopra, who competed with Nadeem in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last year, said, “It is hard to believe that he has been struggling to get a new javelin. Given his credentials, this should not be a big issue at all.”

Nadeem, who finished second behind Chopra in Budapest, was recently quoted, saying: “It has now got to a stage where the javelin is damaged and I have asked the national federation and my coach to do something about it before the Paris Olympics.

“When I started off in 2015, competing in international events I got this javelin … for an international athlete aiming to win a medal in the Olympic Games, you need proper equipment and training facilities,” Nadeem had stated

Chopra, whose entire training and international tours are funded by the sports ministry’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), feels that Nadeem is the pride of Pakistan and must be supported.

With a 90.18m throw, Nadeem had created a new javelin throw record at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham to finish on top of the podium. It ended Pakistan’s 60-year wait for a CWG gold medal.

“It can’t be that he (Arshad) doesn’t have the means to buy a javelin. He is a champion and must be doing some brand endorsements. I reckon he has earned a bit of money too. But having said that, his government can look at Arshad’s need and support him just like how my government is doing so.

“Additionally, Arshad is top javelin thrower and I believe that the javelin makers will be more than happy to sponsor him and provide what he wants. This is a piece of advice from my side,” said Chopra.

If all goes well, the javelin competition at the upcoming Paris Olympics could see a strong Asian field. Chopra and Kishore Jena will spearhead India while Nadeem, who finished fifth in the Tokyo Olympics, will hope to replicate another 90 metre-plus throw in Paris and pose a serious threat to a sport usually dominated by Europeans.

In December 2022, the Pakistani underwent an elbow surgery in the UK. Last year, Nadeem had a niggling knee operation done and skipped the Hangzhou Asian Games where Chopra defended his crown by pocketing the gold with Jena taking the silver.

The outdoor javelin season starts with the Doha leg of the Diamond League in May.