Neeraj Chopra, India’s golden boy in javelin, made history at the Paris Olympics 2024 by becoming the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win back-to-back medals at the Games. However, the night belonged to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who shattered the Olympic record with a throw of 92.97m.
Chopra, who was aiming for a second consecutive gold, was hampered by a groin injury that limited him to just one legitimate throw. Despite his best efforts, he could not breach the 90m mark for the first time in his career and had to settle for silver.
The frustration was evident on Chopra’s face as he repeatedly crossed the throwing arc, resulting in five of his six attempts being declared fouls. During his penultimate throw, he lost his cool and screamed in anger after his leg crossed the line.
Speaking to the media after the competition, Chopra admitted that he felt he could have thrown over 90m, but his injury prevented him from doing so. “It was because of an injury (groin strain). I wanted to express myself and throw. It was not happening. It was the Olympic stage. But, the throw was still good. I managed only one legal throw. All others were foul. When Arshad threw 92.97m, I believed in my mind that I would be able to do it (90m) today. It didn’t happen today. Let’s see when it will happen. But the competition was very intense and exciting. Winning a medal for my country makes me happy,” he said.
Despite the disappointment of not winning gold, Chopra’s silver medal is a testament to his resilience and determination. He has become India’s third track-and-field athlete to win an Olympic medal, after Norman Pritchard and Sushil Kumar, and the fifth Indian to have two medals at the Games.
