Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem failed to defend his Commonwealth Games javelin title after finishing ninth at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday.
Nadeem exited the 12-man final after failing to enter the top eight during the opening three rounds. His best effort measured only 77.41 metres, well below the standards that made him an Olympic and Commonwealth champion.
Read More: FIFA President Acknowledges Arshad Nadeem’s Olympic Feat in Dubai
The result brought a disappointing end to a campaign that had already raised concerns. Nadeem qualified for the final in seventh place with a season-best throw of 78.63 metres. No athlete reached the automatic qualifying mark of 84 metres, so the leading 12 advanced.
Nadeem Exits After Three Attempts
The defending champion opened the final with a foul. His second attempt reached 77.41 metres and briefly placed him on the leaderboard.
However, Nadeem slipped to ninth before his final attempt. He then failed to improve and missed the top-eight cut, which would have earned him three additional throws.
Most live result reports recorded his third throw at 75.39 metres, although an Express Tribune report listed it as 75.61 metres. Both figures left him outside medal contention.
The Express Tribune reported that a dejected Nadeem left the venue immediately and returned to his hotel. The athlete had not publicly commented on his performance at the time of publication.
Before the final, Nadeem acknowledged the pressure surrounding his title defence.
Read More: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia to Host 2027 World Cup
“Four years after I broke the Commonwealth Games record in 2022, I remain in the same position,” he said earlier. “There is also pressure [on me] … I have been the champion for four years and now I will need to again do well [to retain the title].”
“There is always pressure while entering the field … that pressure has to be controlled.”
Nadeem won the 2022 Commonwealth title in Birmingham with a Games record of 90.18 metres. He later produced an Olympic record of 92.97 metres to claim gold at the Paris Games in 2024.
His Glasgow result marked a third straight sub-80-metre performance. He finished ninth in Luzern on July 16 with 78.47 metres before recording 78.63 metres in Commonwealth qualifying.
Pathirage Wins as India Takes Two Medals
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage claimed gold with 89.75 metres on his second attempt. His remaining five throws were fouls, but nobody surpassed his early lead.
Pathirage entered Glasgow as the 2026 world leader after throwing 92.62 metres at the Rome Diamond League in June. The former fast bowler has quickly emerged as one of Asia’s strongest javelin competitors.
Read More: HBL PSL 12 Schedule, Retentions and Signings Under Review
India secured the remaining podium places. Neeraj Chopra won silver with a season-best 85.83 metres, while Yash Vir Singh claimed bronze with a personal-best 85.41 metres on his final attempt.
Nadeem’s inability to cross 80 metres in three consecutive outings will increase scrutiny on his form ahead of upcoming international competitions.
