Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem finished fifth in the men’s javelin throw at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday.
Nadeem recorded his best throw of 81.49 metres on his third attempt. It was also his season-best performance.
His first two attempts measured 74.42 metres and 79.66 metres. Only the top four athletes advanced to the final round, ending Nadeem’s competition after three throws.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won the javelin title with a huge 91.09-metre throw in the final round. Anderson Peters of Grenada finished second with 86.18 metres, while Germany’s Julian Weber took third with 85.89 metres.
Nadeem entered the competition as one of the biggest names in the field. He is the reigning Olympic champion after winning gold at the Paris 2024 Games with an Olympic-record throw of 92.97 metres.
The Budapest event featured a highly competitive field. It included Olympic and world champions, with five athletes in the field having lifetime bests beyond 90 metres.
Pathirage had already emerged as the leading javelin thrower of 2026. He entered the competition with a world-leading mark of 92.62 metres, set in Rome earlier this year.
Despite missing the podium, Nadeem’s 81.49-metre throw marked his best performance of the season. The result comes as he continues his return to top form after a challenging competitive period.
The World Athletics Ultimate Championship is a new global athletics event featuring leading Olympic champions, world champions and top-ranked athletes. The inaugural edition was held in Budapest from September 11 to 13, with a total prize pool of $10 million.
