Paris Olympic 2024, India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra bags silver
Neeraj Chopra secures Silver in Paris as Arshad Nadeem breaks Olympic record to claim Gold in javelin.Neeraj Chopra, India’s star javelin thrower, earned a silver medal at the Paris Olympics after Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem shattered the Olympic record with a phenomenal throw of 92.97 meters to win gold. Chopra, who recorded his season-best throw of 89.45 meters, faced challenges throughout the event, including multiple fouls.
Despite struggling with an adductor injury leading up to the Games, Chopra's silver medal in Paris solidifies his legacy as the first Indian track and field athlete to win two Olympic medals after independence. His journey to the final saw him dominate the qualification round with an 89.34-meter throw, comfortably surpassing the 84-meter qualifying mark.
In the final, Chopra's first attempt was marred by a foul, while Nadeem quickly set the stage with a record-breaking throw. Nadeem’s effort surpassed Andreas Thorkildsen's previous Olympic record of 90.57 meters, set in 2008. The Pakistani athlete continued to excel, recording throws of 88.72 meters and later 91.79 meters, making him the only competitor to breach the 90-meter mark in the final.
Chopra's mother, Saroj Devi, later revealed that her son competed while carrying an injury, which affected his performance. Despite this, Neeraj's determination led him to secure India's first silver medal at the 2024 Summer Games. Although it wasn't the gold he had hoped for, Chopra's resilience and ability to perform under pressure added another historic achievement to his illustrious career.