Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion, will not participate in the NC Classic in Bengaluru on May 24th due to a scheduling conflict with his training for the Asian Athletics Championships. He declined an invitation from Neeraj Chopra.
“The (NC) Classic event is from 20th May (May 24) whereas I am scheduled to leave for Korea on 22nd May for the Asian Athletics Championship,” Nadeem said.
He stated that he has been diligently preparing for the Asian Championship, scheduled for May 27-31 in Gumi, South Korea.
Chopra invited Nadeem to participate in his inaugural event on Monday.
“I have sent invitation to Arshad and he said he will get back to me after discussing with his coach. As of now he is yet to confirm participation,” Chopra told reporters in a virtual media interaction on Monday.
Nadeem won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, setting an Olympic record of 92.97 meters. Chopra took silver with a throw of 89.45 meters.
The inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin throw competition will feature prominent athletes, including Anderson Peters from Grenada and Thomas Rohler from Germany.
Peters, who hails from Grenada, is a two-time world champion and Rohler is the gold-medallist from the 2016 Olympics.
Kenyan Julius Yego, a 2015 World Champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist, and American Curtis Thompson, the current season’s top performer with a throw of 87.76 meters, will both compete.
World Athletics has awarded A status to a javelin throw competition co-organized by Neeraj Chopra, JSW Sports, the Athletics Federation of India, and World Athletics itself. The event will include both international and Indian elite athletes.
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