Chopra’s qualification performance marks his fifth consecutive instance of needing just one attempt to reach the final. His previous single-throw qualifications came at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Germany’s Julian Weber also advanced to the final, achieving the automatic qualification mark in his second attempt. Weber started with an 82.29m throw before improving to 87.21m.
India’s Sachin Yadav and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem have also qualified for the final. Yadav barely made it through after a tense wait, while Nadeem secured his spot with his final attempt.
The rivalry between Chopra and Nadeem has intensified since their last encounters. Chopra, now 27, made history in Budapest in 2023 by becoming India’s first world champion in athletics with a throw of 88.17m, with Nadeem taking silver at 87.82m.
The dynamic shifted in Paris 2024 when Nadeem claimed Olympic gold with a throw of 92.97m, while Chopra earned silver with 89.45m.
The 12-man final field includes several prominent competitors. Former world champion Anderson Peters, Germany’s Julian Weber, and Kenyan veteran Julius Yego will all vie for the title.
