Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has secured his place in the final of the javelin throw event at the Paris Olympics, marking a significant achievement with a throw of 89.34 meters during the qualification round. Chopra’s performance in Group-B surpassed the required 84-meter mark for direct entry into the final.
Chopra, who clinched the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, is now a strong contender for another podium finish.
Chopra’s first attempt was his all-time second-best throw at a men’s javelin event, with his top throw coming at Stockholm Diamond League 2022 with a distance of 89.94 m. It was also the 26-year-old’s best throw in any qualification round. He won India its sole gold medal in the last Olympics.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who is also one of Neeraj’s closest rivals, joined the Indian star for the men’s javelin final with his season-best throw of 86.59 m. Arshad and Neeraj have developed a healthy rivalry over the years, with Neeraj dominating the head-to-head record 9-0. However, Arshad’s best effort of 90.18 m in the 2022 Commonwealth Games is ahead of Neeraj’s top effort.
In contrast, Asian Games silver medalist Kishore Jena finished ninth in Group A of the men’s javelin throw qualification round, failing to advance to the medal round.
He managed a throw of 80.73 meters in his first attempt but did not record a mark in his second attempt. His final throw reached 80.21 meters, falling short of the 84-meter threshold needed for direct qualification.
(Inputs from ANI)