Neeraj Chopra celebrates after winning silver medal. (Picture Credit: AP)
Neeraj Chopra registered a throw of 89.45 m in his second attempt to win a silver medal for India in the men’s javelin throw competition at the Paris Olympics.
Neeraj Chopra won a silver medal for India in the men’s javelin throw competition at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday, August 8. The 26-year-old Indian athlete who won the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics registered his season’s best throw of 89.45 m in the second attempt to seal a historic podium finish.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won gold with a throw of 92.97 meters. He broke the previous Olympic record held by Denmark’s Andreas Thorkildsen in Beijing in 2008.
After winning India’s first silver medal in Paris, Chopra expressed his happiness at the podium finish but also added that it’s time for him now to work on his performance and injury-related issues, which have troubled him for quite some time.
“Country ke liye jab bhi medal jeet-te hai uski khushi toh hoti hai. Lekin wahi hai ki matlab medal ki baat alag hai lekin ab time hai improvement karne ka throw mein bhi aur jo bhi kuch injury chal rahi hai unpe abhi kaam karna hai aur jo kamiya hai unko sudharenge. Team ke sath baith ke baat karenge,” Neeraj said after the men’s javelin throw final.
The men’s javelin throw final saw tough competition between the likes of Arshad, Neeraj, and Anderson Peters of Grenada, who finished third. Neeraj, who created history in Tokyo by becoming the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in track and field, said Thursday was Nadeem’s day, but he will also continue to come up with good performances for India in future competitions.
“Competition bahut acha tha aur wahi hai har kisi din kisi athlete ka din hota hai. Aaj Arshad ka din tha, kabhi jab baat kare Tokyo ki aur Budapest ki waha pe apna din tha, ya Asian Games mein apna din tha. Har ek athlete ka jo body hoti ek vo us din alag he usme hoti hai, har cheej perfect hoti hai jaise aaj Arshad ki thi. Apna bhi kaafi acha raha lekin fir bhi kuch mujhe lag raha hai ki kuch cheeje hai aur thodi si ye injury hai isko thoda theek karke, jo focus injury ki tarah rehta hai khel ke time vo uspe naa ho aur performance pe ho toh throw ka toh bahut acha hai andar. Andar throw toh hai. Throw niklegi jab ek baar sab tarike se fit ho jayenge aur mentally bilkul tayar honge.”
“Rashtriya gaan toh bilkul mann mei tha he aur wahi hai ki sab ki umeed bhi thi aur hamesha uspe khara bhi utre hai lekin wahi hai sports hai aur ye cheej accept karni padegi kyuki wahi sabse sahi rahega. Iss cheej ko accept karo ki haa aaj shayad apna dinn nahi tha. Hamesha bahut acha raha hai aur aage aane wale time mei bhi acha rahega. Lekin aaj shayad se vo nahi tha ki aaj nahi bajwa payenge rashrtiya gaan lekin aisa hamesha nahi hota, aage fir mauka milega aur fir se humara rashtriya gaan hoga. Paris mei nahi toh kahi aur sahi,” he added.
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