Shame, we won't have Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem at Neeraj Chopra Classic: Julius Yego | Exclusive

The absence of Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem is a 'big loss' to the sport of javelin at the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic next month in Bengaluru, felt 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist Julius Yego. Nadeem, who had won gold at the Paris Olympics ahead of Neeraj last year, was among the invitees for the first-of-it's-kind javelin competition in India, which is set to take place on May 24 at the Kanteerava Stadium.

The 28-year-old, who threw a record distance of 92.97m in Paris last year, citing preparations for the Asian Athletics Championships as a reason to give this even a miss. The Asian Athletics Championships will be held in Korea from May 27 to 31.

“I feel for Nadeem! It could have been so nice for him to compete there (at Neeraj Chopra Classic). To me it’s a loss to the big sport. I also feel for Neeraj because he has tried his best to have him come but situations didn’t allow it to happen," Yego, a javelin world champion in 2015, told Livemint in an exclusive interaction from Kenya.

"So it’s a shame we will not have the Olympic champion (Arshad) competing in this very important event by Chopra in India,” added Yego, who is one of the overseas athletes in the one-day event.

Besides Yego, Anderson Peters (Grenada), Thomas Rohler (Germany), Curtis Thompson (USA), Genki Dean (Japan), Luiz Mauricio da Silva (Brazil) and Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka) are the other overseas competitors in the event. The Indian line-up will be announced soon.

‘This is very good idea by Neeraj’

Calling the competition a big challenge, Yego stated he is coming to support Neeraj and compete. “This is very good idea by Neeraj to have this competition in India and being a pioneer of the same is a big salute and really happy for him,” stated Yego.

Javelin was more of an European affair until Neeraj brought India into the world map with his gold medal throw of 87.58m at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Since then, the sport have blossomed in the country with a growing interest among the youngsters. Neeraj added another to his kitty (silver) at the Paris Olympics last year.

'To organise this big event in India is big step'

“For Neeraj to organise this big event in India is big step to making the sport popular in places perceived to be less popular like Africa/Kenya in particular and now India which has made this sport very popular,” said Yego. The NC Classic was initially scheduled to be hosted in Panchkula.

“Every competition is a learning experience for all but more to the young ones. Indian athletes will be able to experience that feeling on competing among the best in the world so it’s a very good learning experience and opportunity. This is will be a very special event with special learning to most if not all,” he concluded.