Tag: OlympicRecord

Neeraj Chopra, India’s golden boy of javelin, narrowly missed out on the gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024, settling for silver despite a season-best throw of 89.45m. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem stole the show with a mammoth 92.97m throw, breaking the Olympic record and leaving Chopra in his wake.

Chopra’s best effort came on his second attempt, but his subsequent four throws were all fouls. Experts believe that Chopra’s eagerness to surpass Nadeem’s record may have contributed to his fouls.

“When Nadeem threw 92.97 meters, there was pressure on Neeraj,” said three-time Paralympic medalist Devendra Jhajharia. “He wanted to throw over 93 meters and put in extra effort, which resulted in four fouls.”

Despite the setback, Chopra remains a force to be reckoned with. He won gold at the Tokyo Olympics and is determined to complete a sensational hat-trick of medals at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“Neeraj is very passionate about javelin,” added Jhajharia. “He is so focused and humble. I am sure he will make a hat-trick of Olympic medals in Los Angeles.”

Chopra’s silver medal in Paris is a testament to his resilience and determination. He will undoubtedly be a contender for gold in Los Angeles, where he will aim to cement his legacy as one of the greatest javelin throwers of all time.

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.