Top five rivals for Neeraj Chopra in men's javelin at Commonwealth Games 2026
Neeraj Chopra will get tough competition for gold at the Commonwealth Games 2026.
The men’s javelin throw at the Commonwealth Games 2026 promises to be one of the standout track and field events. Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra expects one of the strongest fields ever assembled at the Games, with multiple athletes having already breached the coveted 90m mark.
After months on the sidelines with a back injury, the Indian star has declared himself fully fit and is aiming to reclaim the Commonwealth title he won at the Gold Coast 2018 Games. However, standing between Chopra and another gold medal are some of the biggest names in world javelin.
Related: Commonwealth Games 2026: Updated day-wise India schedule for all sports
Neeraj Chopra’s competitors at the Glasgow CWG
5. Rohit Yadav (India)
While Neeraj Chopra will spearhead India’s challenge, Rohit Yadav has quietly emerged as another serious contender in the men’s javelin.
The 25-year-old heads to Glasgow in the best form of his career after producing a personal-best 87.05m throw at the National Inter-State Championships, a performance that briefly lifted him to No. 2 in the world rankings for the season.
Overshadowed by Chopra’s achievements, Rohit enters Glasgow with little fanfare but plenty of medal potential. If he reproduces the form that saw him breach the 87m mark earlier this year, the Uttar Pradesh thrower has every chance of challenging for a CWG medal and could even upset some of the event’s biggest names.
4. Anderson Peters (Grenada)
A two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medallist, Anderson Peters continues to be a major force on the international circuit and one of the strongest contenders in the men’s javelin field.
The Grenadian has begun his 2026 campaign impressively, opening his Diamond League season with victory in Rabat thanks to a best throw of 86.08m, having earlier registered 86.38m in the Doha leg.
Peters has built a reputation for delivering on the biggest stages. Although he is yet to rediscover the 90m-plus form that made him a two-time world champion, his consistency this season makes him a genuine medal threat in Glasgow.
3. Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago)
One of the most accomplished javelin throwers in Commonwealth Games history, Keshorn Walcott, will once again be among the leading contenders in Glasgow. The reigning world champion finally completed his decorated career by winning gold at the 2025 World Athletics Championships and has carried that momentum into 2026 with a bronze-medal finish at the Rabat Diamond League.
The two-time Olympic medallist enters the season with a renewed sense of freedom, having achieved every major milestone in the sport. His focus now is on breaching the 90m mark once again, a feat he last achieved with his personal best of 90.16m in 2015.
Walcott has even spoken of chasing a throw beyond 93m, believing his best may still be ahead of him. The Trinidad and Tobago star will be aiming to add another major title and could pose one of the biggest threats to Neeraj’s title ambitions in Glasgow.
2. Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage (Sri Lanka)
If there is one athlete who has shaken up the men’s javelin landscape this season, it is Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage.
The 23-year-old Sri Lankan has emerged as one of the world’s leading throwers after producing a sensational 92.62m effort at the Rome Diamond League, the longest throw of 2026 and a new Sri Lankan national record. He reinforced that performance by claiming the Doha Diamond League title.
The mark left him just 35 centimetres shy of Arshad Nadeem’s Asian record of 92.97m and also erased a 20-year-old Diamond League meet record previously held by Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen. Having recorded the two longest throws of the 2026 season, the Sri Lankan has emerged as one of the strongest contenders for Commonwealth Games gold.
1. Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan)
No rival poses a bigger challenge to Neeraj Chopra than Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. The defending Commonwealth Games and reigning Olympic champion heads to Glasgow looking to retain the title he won in Birmingham in 2022 with a Games record throw of 90.18 m.
Nadeem has become Chopra’s greatest rival in recent years. While Chopra led their head-to-head record 10-1, Nadeem produced the defining performance of their rivalry by winning Olympic gold at Paris 2024 with a record-breaking 92.97 m throw.
Nadeem, who has been training in Lahore ahead of the Games, confirmed that he will fine-tune his preparations at an athletics meet in Switzerland before heading to Glasgow.
When did Neeraj Chopra last participate at the Commonwealth Games?
He participated in the 2018 Gold Coast Games, where he also won the gold medal.
When will Neeraj Chopra be in action at the Commonwealth Games 2026?
Neeraj Chopra will participate in the men’s javelin throw qualification round on Thursday, July 30, and in the final round on Friday, July 31.
How many medals has Neeraj Chopra won at the Commonwealth Games?
Neeraj Chopra has won 1 medal in the Commonwealth Games. He secured a gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
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Ashwathy is a freelance sports writer with a background in athletics, sports science, and sports management. She specializes in Olympic sports—particularly athletics—and is passionate about athlete storytelling, performance analysis, and competition coverage.