At the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday, August 8, Neeraj Chopra secured the silver medal in the men’s javelin final with a best throw of 89.45 meters. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem clinched the gold medal with an Olympic record throw of 92.97 meters.
**In Short:**
– Neeraj Chopra won the silver medal with a throw of 89.45 meters in the men’s javelin final at the Paris Olympics.
– This silver adds to his gold medal from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
– Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won gold with an Olympic record throw of 92.97 meters.
– Chopra’s 89.45 meters was his second-best career throw but fell short of Nadeem’s record.
– Nadeem’s victory marks the first track and field gold medal for Pakistan at these Games.
– Despite not having his best competition day, Chopra’s performance secured India’s first silver medal at the Paris Olympics and made him the fifth Indian athlete to win multiple Olympic medals.
– Nadeem’s achievement, as the son of a construction worker, highlighted the power of perseverance and the human spirit.
Neeraj Chopra reflected on his performance after missing out on the gold medal, saying, “It was probably the day for a 90m throw, and it was needed. I haven’t thought about it much before, but it’s on my mind now. I gave it my all.” He mentioned to India Today’s Nikhil Naz, “When Arshad threw 92.97m, I was confident I could hit 90m today. It didn’t happen this time. We’ll see when it does. The competition was intense and exciting, and winning a medal for my country makes me happy.”
**Neeraj Dethroned by Arshad: The Dawn of an Epic India-Pakistan Javelin Rivalry?**
Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem made history by securing the top two positions in the men’s javelin at the Olympics for the first time, marking a significant shift in a sport traditionally dominated by Europeans. This was also the first time no European medaled in the men’s javelin event at the Olympics.
This outcome reversed the results from last year’s World Championships, where Neeraj won gold and Arshad claimed silver.
**Throw Series:**
– **Neeraj Chopra:** X, 89.45m, X, X, X, X
– **Arshad Nadeem:** X, 92.97m, 88.72m, 79.40m, 84.87m, 91.79m
– **Anderson Peters:** 84.70m, 87.87m, X, 88.54m, 87.38m, 81.83m
Neeraj was under significant pressure after Arshad Nadeem’s record-breaking throw of 92.97m, surpassing the previous Olympic record of 90.57m set by Andreas Thorkildsen in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This added pressure was reflected in Neeraj’s subsequent fouled attempts.
Neeraj Chopra’s mother reacted warmly to Arshad Nadeem’s gold medal win, saying, “He is also our son.”
Nadeem capped off his series with two throws over 90 meters, including a remarkable 91.79 meters, which helped him secure the gold medal.
The men’s javelin final was truly sensational, featuring a star-studded lineup of Olympic medalists. In an electrifying evening at Stade de France, five throwers surpassed Neeraj Chopra’s gold-medal mark of 87.58 meters from Tokyo.
**A Fiercely-Fought Final**
Neeraj Chopra was set to make his first attempt 8th in the order, entering the arena to cheers from the Indian fans. The Diamond Trophy winner Jakub Vadlejch started the final with an 80.15m throw, falling short of his personal best of 90.88m and failing to set a strong tone.
Arshad Nadeem, nervous at the outset, aborted his initial run-up and fouled his first attempt due to the pressure of the countdown timer. Neeraj Chopra, facing similar nerves, also fouled his initial throw.
**Paris Olympics Men’s Javelin Highlights:**
London Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott set an early marker with an 86.16m throw but finished in seventh place.
Arshad Nadeem then delivered a spectacular throw. With an arm speed of 110 km/h—the best in the field—he sent the javelin to a historic distance, shattering the Olympic record by nearly 3 meters. Despite urging for a replacement for his aging javelin earlier this year and overcoming significant financial and logistical hurdles, Arshad outperformed competitors who had access to top facilities.
Neeraj tried valiantly to match his rival but was unable to secure a valid attempt after his second throw, ultimately winning silver.
Rio Olympics silver medalist Yulius Yego finished in fifth place, while Julian Weber, competing in his third Olympics, fell short of the top three again, finishing fourth.
For Anderson Peters, who had been struggling with injury following a boat attack in his hometown after his 2022 World Championships gold, the final represented a moment of redemption.
