Arshad Nadeem Faces World No. 1 in Asian Games 2026 Javelin Final Today

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem and Muhammad Yasir will compete in the 14-man javelin final in Nagoya on September 28. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage enters with a 92.62m season best.

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem will lead the country’s javelin challenge at the Asian Games 2026 today. Muhammad Yasir will also compete in the final at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.

The final starts at 4:15 PM (PKT). It features 14 athletes from nine countries. There is no separate qualification round.

Arshad Faces a Strong Challenge

Nadeem enters the final as the reigning Olympic champion and Asian record holder. He set the Asian record with a 92.97m throw at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

His best throw of 2026 is 81.49m. He recorded the mark at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on September 13. He finished fifth in the event.

Nadeem has completed his preparations in Japan. His coach Salman Butt said the athlete is fully fit and in good form ahead of the final.

Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage presents the main challenge. The 23-year-old has the world-leading mark of 92.62m this season. He also recorded 92.07m in Zurich and won the World Athletics Ultimate Championship with 91.09m.

Pathirage also won Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow with 89.75m. He finished ahead of Nadeem and India’s Neeraj Chopra.

India will field Rohit Yadav and Yash Vir Singh. Yadav has a season best of 87.68m. Singh has thrown 85.41m this year.

Chopra will miss the Asian Games after an ankle ligament injury ended his 2026 season. He had won the javelin title at the previous two Asian Games.

Japan’s Yuta Sakiyama has an 87.16m personal best. Sri Lanka’s Sumedha Ranasinghe has an 85.78m personal best.

The Asian Games record is 89.15m. China’s Zhao Qinggang set it at Incheon 2014.

Asian Games 2026 Javelin Throw Entry List

The entry-list figures are from the Asian Games start list reported for the event.