Commonwealth Games 2026: Meet Neeraj Chopra's Competitors For Men's Javelin Throw Gold
Neeraj Chopra aims for gold in Glasgow Commonwealth Games, facing strong rivals including reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem and world leader Rumesh Pathirage.
- Neeraj Chopra won Commonwealth gold in 2018 and Olympic gold in 2020
- Arshad Nadeem is the reigning Commonwealth and Olympic champion competing for CWG 2026 gold
- Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage is a top contender for the podium at CWG 2026
As Neeraj Chopra takes centre stage in Glasgow, flashbacks of the 2018 Gold Coast Games come rushing back. It was in Australia that Neeraj first won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games, and just two years later, went on to become the first Indian track & field athlete to clinch the yellow metal in the Olympic Games. Over the last 6 years, Neeraj has struggled a bit to match the same glory. But he seems fit and ready to take the shackles off and go all-in for the gold medal in the Glasgow Games.
But the task wouldn't be as easy, especially with the likes of Arshad Nadeem, Rumesh Pathirage and Anderson Peters competing with him. While Arshad is the reigning Olympic champion, Neeraj was beaten to the top-podium spot by Pathirage in the Doha Diamond League last month.
Neeraj Chopra's Top Competitors In CWG 2026, Men's Javelin Throw:
Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan): Leading the charge of Neeraj's fierce rivals is Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, the defending Commonwealth Games champion and the reigning Olympic champion. Nadeem produced a sensational Games-record throw of 90.18 metres to capture gold at Birmingham 2022. As the reigning Olympic champion, Nadeem possesses a rare ability to perform at his absolute peak during major finals, making his head-to-head showdown with Chopra one of the most anticipated clashes of the entire Games. In the Paris Games, he recorded a throw of 92.97 meters. He would be keen to breach even that distance in Glasgow.
Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage (Sri Lanka): Perhaps the most formidable threat on current form is Sri Lanka's emerging powerhouse, Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage. Pathirage has enjoyed an explosive campaign, setting the world-leading mark with a colossal 92.62-metre effort in Rome Diamond League. Having recorded multiple top-tier throws throughout the season, the Sri Lankan thrower arrives in Glasgow not as an outsider, but as a genuine favourite for the gold medal.
READ | Neeraj Chopra At CWG 2026: Live Streaming, Telecast, Schedule, Time In IST
Anderson Peters (Grenada) & Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago): Caribbean athletes simply can't be kept away from glory in track & field events for long. Grenada's Anderson Peters, a two-time World Champion, remains one of the most dangerous big-stage performers in the sport, provided he is in the best physical shape. Alongside him is Trinidad and Tobago's veteran Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott, whose vast experience in multi-sport events makes him a certain contender for a spot on the podium.
Rohit Yadav (India): Neeraj doesn't just face competition from athletes of other countries, but also from a fellow Indian, Rohit Yadav. He enjoyed a breakthrough season, launching a personal best of 87.05 metres in the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar. He has certainly shown the potential to position himself as a real medal contender.