"My Fight Is Against...": Neeraj Chopra On Rivalry With Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem

Indian world champion and Olympic medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra acknowledged that while there will be some focus on arch-rival Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem as well during the men's javelin throw final, his main focus is on competing with himself and getting better at his technique and throw in the title event. Neeraj, who had recently won India's first-ever World Athletics Championships gold, will kickstart his Asian Games campaign in Hangzhou on October 4 with men's javelin throw final. Arshad will be a rival to watch out for during the final.

"Whenever Arshad has played with me, I have won. But the focus is always on giving my best, not on who is playing against me. In athletics, you compete with yourself and push yourself to do your best. Yes there is some focus on India and Pakistan at the Asian Games as there are no European athletes, but my fight is against myself, I have to better my technique and throw. Rest, we will see," said Neeraj to the media in Hangzhou.

Head to head, both athletes have faced off in nine international events together, seven times at senior level and two times at junior level, as per Olympics.com.

The first meeting of these two athletes was back in the South Asian Games 2016 in Guwahati, where Neeraj got gold and Nadeem took home a bronze. As of now, Neeraj has a 9-0 lead over Nadeem.

Despite Neeraj dominating overall numbers, Arshad is coming closer to the Indian ace's performances since 2018 and could be a big threat to Neeraj's supremacy. Pakistan's Arshad holds a lead over Neeraj in terms of personal best throws, touching the 90.18 mark during CWG 2022, where he won gold. He piped then-world champion, Anderson Peters of Grenada, with this effort. Neeraj had missed the event due to