India’s champion track and field athlete Neeraj Chopra won a silver medal in the men’s javelin event at the Paris Olympics, recording his season-best throw of 89.45 meters. Neeraj entered Paris not only carrying the weight of national expectations but also the mantle of being the defending champion from the Tokyo Olympics. However, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem delivered a phenomenal 92.97-meter throw, effectively clinching the gold and ending Neeraj’s hopes for back-to-back Olympic victories.
Reflecting on the event, Neeraj revealed that his struggle with an adductor niggle was a significant roadblock, preventing him from reaching his peak performance. “Winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics was the stuff of dreams,” Neeraj told India TV in an exclusive interview shortly after the event in Paris. “I realized my dream of winning an Olympic gold in Tokyo. Leading up to the Paris Olympics, I competed in several events, including the Asian Games and the Diamond League.”
Coming into the Paris competition, Neeraj was cognizant of the daunting task ahead—defending an Olympic title. “I knew that I had to defend my title, but my injury, the adductor niggle, acted as a roadblock in my title defense. Nonetheless, I am pleased with my effort in the final event. After my second throw, which was 89.45 meters, I was confident that I could pull off an even better throw in the remaining attempts, but that, unfortunately, didn’t happen.”
The famed javelin thrower expressed his disappointment about failing to push past the 90-meter mark, a milestone that continues to elude him. “Now, the failure to breach the 90-meter mark is going to stick with me, and I have to work on a way to get there. I am planning to sit down with my team and prepare a roadmap to eventually reach and surpass that 90-meter mark,” Neeraj added.
Neeraj’s prospects of becoming only the fifth man in Olympic history to win consecutive gold medals in the men’s javelin seemed within reach until Arshad’s monumental throw. Arshad’s 92.
.97-meter throw not only shattered an all-time Olympic record but also placed him comfortably at the top, making the lead insurmountable.
“Arshad and I have been competing at global events since 2016, and this is the first time he has defeated me in a tournament,” Neeraj mentioned, acknowledging his rival’s prowess.
Neeraj’s perspective on the defeat was mature and sportsmanlike. He noted, “I think we should embrace the fact that in sporting events, you can’t always shine or outshine everyone. While we, as athletes, work incredibly hard towards producing favorable outcomes, numerous factors play a role, such as injuries and how you perform on that particular day.”
Reflecting further, he added, “Today just wasn’t my day, and he performed exceptionally well. However, there will be many more opportunities in the foreseeable future where we will compete against each other again. Overall, the event was evenly contested.”
Interestingly, Neeraj shared that while many were disheartened by Arshad’s massive throw, he remained composed and focused on beating the mark. “After Arshad registered a throw of 92.97 meters, one of the competitors remarked that the competition was basically over. But I was unfazed and focused on surpassing Arshad’s mark,” he recounted.
Utilizing his technical knowledge, Neeraj explained why he may not have performed as well as he could have. “Arshad managed to maintain the right technique, which allowed him to execute better. On the other hand, I had my own struggles, and much of my energy didn’t translate into my throws. Despite trying to alter my run-up, it didn’t make the needed difference,” he concluded.
Neeraj’s story is one of resilience and determination. Despite the setback, he remains optimistic and committed to achieving his future goals. The silver medal at the Paris Olympics stands as a testament to his high skill level and the hard work put into his sport, serving as motivation to conquer future competitions and finally break the elusive 90-meter barrier.
