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The two of them are set to lock horns against each other in the men's javelin throw event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Glasgow. The qualification round is scheduled for Thursday (30 July).

Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem head-to-head record in javelin throw

As for the head-to-head record between the two athletes, Neeraj Chopra leads 10-1 against his Pakistani counterpart.

Arshad Nadeem has prevailed just once, and that was at the 2024 Paris Olympics when he struck gold with an Olympic record throw of 92.97m. Neeraj Chopra won the silver medal with his season-best throw of 89.45m.

The first meeting between Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem came at the 2016 South Asian Games in Guwahati. Chopra won the gold medal with a throw of 82.23m, while Nadeem settled for bronze.

Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem head-to-head details

The same year, Chopra also finished ahead of his rival at the Asian Junior Championships and then claimed the World U20 title in Bydgoszcz with a then-junior world record of 86.48m, as Nadeem exited early.

Chopra continued his dominance over the next few years. He defeated Nadeem at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships before repeating the feat at both the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. The Indian's victories coincided with his rise as one of the world's premier javelin throwers, culminating in Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games, where Nadeem finished fifth.

The rivalry intensified after the Tokyo Olympics as both athletes established themselves among the world's elite.

Chopra claimed silver at the 2022 World Championships before winning the world title in Budapest in 2023, finishing ahead of Nadeem on both occasions. Their battle in Budapest was particularly memorable, with Chopra throwing 88.17m to edge Nadeem's 87.82m in one of the closest contests between the pair.

However, the 2024 Paris Olympics were the turning point for Nadeem. Not only did he break the Olympic record for the biggest throw, but he also became Pakistan's first individual Olympic champion.

The two of them faced off once again at the 2025 World Athletics Championship in Tokyo last September. However, both of them finished outside the top three. Chopra finished in eighth place with a best throw of 84.03m, whereas Nadeem finished 10th with a throw of 82.75m.

Despite the fierce competition, Chopra and Nadeem have repeatedly demonstrated mutual respect.

Whether it was Chopra defending Nadeem against unfounded allegations during the Tokyo Olympics or the pair congratulating each other after major championships, they have shown that sporting rivalry need not come at the expense of sportsmanship.