Pakistan’s track-and-field athlete Arshad Nadeem finished fifth in the World Championships javelin final in Oregon, becoming the first Pakistani athlete to end up in the top eight.

Nadeem put up an impressive show despite an elbow injury and limited opportunities to play in major events before the World Athletics Championship.

Grenada’s Anderson Peters won his second successive world gold medal in the event.

He produced three throws beyond the 90-meter line to hold off the challenge from Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra from India, and Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic

Germany’s Julian Weber remained in fourth place, while Arshad Nadeem placed fifth with a season-best throw of 86.16m. Finland’s Lassi Etelatalo was sixth (82.70m). Moldova’s Andrian Mardare and Finland’s Oliver Helander also threw beyond 82 meters in seventh and eighth respectively.

“Most of the throwers prefer the wind from behind but today we had a headwind,” Peters said. “So it was a bit challenging today but I pulled it off. To defend the title is not an easy task. I had to push myself.

Javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem gets warm reception

“The last attempt, I already knew I was a champion but I was working on my technique in every throw and I finally got it through.”

Chopra’s throw broke his last record of 87.58m he produced in Tokyo, where he became the first Indian to win an individual athletics gold.

However, he could not back his Olympics triumph with a world title, as he was “not feeling his best.”

“In the first three throws, I did not feel good. My warm-up was not good,” he added. “I felt something in my groin during the throw but I think it is okay. It was a good experience today.

“We also have the World Championships next year, so I will try to do better in Budapest.”“I feel very good after winning a silver for India,” Chopra said in a video shared by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). “Next year we have another World Championships, and I’ll try to do better there.”

Germany’s Johannes Vetter, who won gold in London in 2017 and has the second-longest throw of all time, did not compete in the World Championships due to a shoulder injury.

Top eight throwers

1- Anderson Peters – 90.54

2- Neeraj Chopra – 88.13

3- Jakub Vadlejch – 88.09

4- Julian Weber – 86.86

5- Arshad Nadeem – 86.16 SB

6- Lassi Etelatalo – 82.70 SB

7- Andrian Mardare – 82.26

8- Oliver Helander – 82.24