Neeraj, who had won his first CWG gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, qualified in 5th place out of 12 finalists with a throw of 79.61m. He will face off against Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who had beaten him for the gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Rohit Yadav (78.37m) and Yashvir Singh (78.36m) ended the javelin qualification in ninth and 10th positions respectively to ensure a full Indian contingent in the medal round. With a steady headwind and a temperature of 18 degree Celsius in Glasgow making conditions difficult throughout the event, none of the competitors was able to breach the automatic qualification mark of 84m.
“The conditions were not the best for javelin throwers. It was not only cold but also windy. And the wind was coming from all directions … it was really hard to assess which side it will come from. And lots of throwers were struggling today, no automatic qualification,” Neeraj Chopra told reporters after the javelin qualification on Thursday.
“It was difficult to keep ourself warm also. We were trying to understand the conditions during the warm up throws but nobody was able to decode. The athletes put in a lot of effort but the wind dictated terms. A lot of them will be unhappy today because I don’t think anyone would be satisfied with their throw,” Chopra added.
Only four competitors were able to breach the 80m mark. Sri Lanka’s in-form Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, winner of the Doha and Rome Diamond League meetings this season – the latter with a 92m-plus throw, topped the qualification with a first-round throw of 82.84m. Last edition’s silver medallist Anderson Peters of Grenada was second with a best throw of 81.29m.
“I am really happy that I qualified and I will try for gold tomorrow. This seems to be my lucky year,” Pathirage said.
Paris Olympics gold medallist and defending champion Arshad Nadeem (78.63m) of Pakistan and reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott (78.26m) of Trinidad and Tobago also made it to the finals after finishing seventh and 11th respectively. Kenya’s Julius Yego, who won a gold in the 2014 edition and a bronze in 2022 Birmingham Games, failed to make the grade after finishing 13th with 74.50m.
Here are all the details about Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026…
When will Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 take place?
Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 will take place on Friday, July 31 (Saturday morning IST time).
Where will Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 take place?
Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 will take place at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow.
What time will Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 begin?
Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 will begin at 1245am IST.
How can I watch Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 LIVE on TV in India?
Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 will be LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil, Telugu & Kannada) channels in India.
How can I watch Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 live streaming in India?
Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026 will be available for live streaming on SonyLiv website and app.