Neeraj Chopra. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra will participate in the men’s javelin throw final at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday, August 8.
Neeraj Chopra will be in action for India on Thursday, August 8. The 26-year-old will participate in the men’s javelin throw final, which is scheduled to start at 11:55 p.m. IST. The Haryana-based athlete won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, and he will be eager to defend his title in the French capital. If Chopra manages to win the title on Thursday, then he will create history and become the first Indian in history to win two gold medals at the Olympics.
Abhinav Bindra was the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Olympics. He achieved the feat during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The star shooter, however, failed to win any medals in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympic games.
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Chopra, who made his Olympic debut for India in the Japanese capital three years ago, qualified for the javelin throw final at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday (August 6) after topping the qualification rounds. His throw of 89.34 m was the best among the 30 athletes who participated in the contest.
A podium finish for Chopra in the Paris Olympics 2024 will also make him the third athlete after wrestler Sushil Kumar and badminton star PV Sindhu to win medals in back-to-back Olympic games for India.
Sushil won a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a silver in the 2012 London Olympics, whereas Sindhu won silver in the Rio Olympics and bronze in Tokyo.
The two-time Olympic medallist participated in the ongoing Paris Olympics as well but failed to qualify for the medal rounds. She suffered a straight-set defeat against He Bing Jiao of China during her Round of 16 match.
Neeraj vs Nadeem vs Peters
In the men’s javelin throw final, Chopra will face tough competition from the likes of Anderson Peters of Grenada and Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan. Nadeem, who finished fifth in the Tokyo Olympics, won a gold medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Apart from these two, world No. 1 Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic, Germany’s Julian Weber, and London Olympics gold medallist Keshorn Walcott will be among the top players to watch out for.
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Read More: Neeraj Chopra Aims To Create History & Become 1st Indian To… – News18
