In just 10 seconds, Neeraj Chopra asserted his dominance by launching a massive throw of 89.43m on his first attempt during the qualifiers at the 2024 Paris Olympics, securing his place in the final. This throw, which was both his season-best and the second-longest of his career, put him at the top of the qualification field. Neeraj seemed poised to defend his title in the men’s javelin final on Thursday, but Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem shocked the competition with an Olympic record-breaking throw, pushing Neeraj to a second-place finish. Despite earning a historic silver, the 26-year-old admitted that he wouldn’t be satisfied until he surpasses his performance in Paris.
After a relatively quiet first round, Nadeem unleashed an incredible 92.97m throw in his second attempt, breaking the Olympic record of 90.57m set by Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway in the 2008 Beijing Games. Neeraj responded with a new season-best throw of 89.45m in the second round, securing the second spot. However, he couldn’t surpass Nadeem’s mark, who sealed his victory with another huge 91.79m throw in his final attempt.
Neeraj struggled in the final, managing only one valid throw and ultimately relinquishing his crown to Nadeem, who became Pakistan’s first Olympic medalist since the 1992 Barcelona Games. After the competition, Neeraj congratulated his friend and rival, acknowledging that this was the first time he had lost to Nadeem in their eight-year rivalry.
“I’ve been competing against Arshad since 2016, and this is the first time I’ve lost to him. But credit to him—Arshad has worked incredibly hard and deserved the win tonight. Congratulations to him,” Neeraj said.
Despite not winning the anticipated gold, Neeraj made history by earning India’s first silver medal at the Paris Olympics. He joined an elite group of Indian athletes, including Norman Pritchard, Sushil Kumar, PV Sindhu, and Manu Bhaker, who have won two Olympic medals. Neeraj also became the third athlete, after Sushil and Sindhu, to win medals at two separate Summer Games and the first to claim back-to-back medals in a track and field event.
Neeraj revealed that concerns over aggravating an adductor injury led to five of his six foul throws in the final. However, he promised to return stronger and more determined.
“Whenever I throw, 60-70 percent of my focus is on the injury. My runway wasn’t good today, and my speed was off. Despite these challenges, I gave my best. I didn’t have time for surgery and just kept pushing myself,” he said. “There’s still a lot left in me. I know I can achieve more, and I won’t be at peace until I do.”