Neeraj Chopra Clinches Silver in Javelin at Paris Olympics

New Delhi: Neeraj Chopra earned a silver medal for India in the men’s javelin throw at the Paris Olympics on August 7, with his best throw reaching 89.45 metres. Although Chopra was unable to retain his Olympic gold, the spotlight of the evening shifted to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who made history by winning Pakistan’s first Olympic gold medal since 1984 with a record-breaking throw of 92.97 metres.

Under immense pressure, Chopra managed only one valid throw, marking 89.45 metres in the second round, which secured him the silver. Nadeem, who was supposed to compete against Chopra in the Hangzhou Asian Games in October last year, withdrew at the last moment due to an injury. In previous encounters, Chopra had bested Nadeem at the 2018 Asian Games and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Chopra, while speaking about his performance, highlighted his focus on managing an injury during the competition. He stated, “Whenever I throw, 60-70 percent of my focus is on the injury. My runway wasn’t optimal today, and my speed was also lacking. Despite these issues, I gave it my all. I didn’t have time for surgery, so I was just pushing myself. There’s still a lot left in me. I have that feeling that I can achieve more, and until I do, I won’t be at peace.”

The silver medal win garnered widespread reactions in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Chopra’s achievement, saying, “Neeraj Chopra is excellence personified! Time and again he’s shown his brilliance. India is elated that he comes back with yet another Olympic success. Congratulations to him on winning the Silver. He will continue to motivate countless upcoming athletes to pursue their dreams and make our nation proud,” wrote PM Modi on X.

Nita Ambani, IOC member and chairperson of Reliance Foundation, also expressed her delight, stating, “Congratulations, Neeraj Chopra, for winning Silver in Javelin at the Paris Games!”