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TOKYO: Defending champion Neeraj Chopra joined Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem in crashing out of the World Athletics Championship at the Japan National Stadium on Wednesday, as both failed to reach the podium.
Chopra started brightly, throwing 83.65m on his first attempt and improving to 84.03m on his second.
However, his rhythm faltered thereafter as his third throw was ruled invalid, while his fourth landed at a modest 82.86m, and his fifth was another foul.
The Indian star ultimately finished eighth, missing out on a medal.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, meanwhile, endured an equally tough outing. He managed 82.73m with his opening throw and slightly bettered it to 82.75m on his third attempt after a foul in between.
Another foul in his fourth sealed his exit, as the distance fell short of the qualifying mark for the latter stages.
The final podium saw Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott clinch gold, Grenada’s Anderson Peters secure silver, and the United States’ Curtis Thompson bag bronze.
Earlier in the qualifiers, Arshad Nadeem had kept Pakistan’s hopes alive with an 85.28m throw on his third attempt after struggling with 76.99m and 74.17m in his first two. However, he was unable to replicate that form in the decisive round.
READ: Arshad Nadeem crashes out of World Athletics Championship
