Neeraj Chopra secured a silver medal in the javelin throw at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 26-year-old athlete achieved a throw of 89.45 meters, marking him as the third Indian to win medals in consecutive Olympics, joining the ranks of wrestler Sushil Kumar and shuttler PV Sindhu.
The gold medal was claimed by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters, including two throws surpassing 90 meters. Grenada’s Anderson Peters took the bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Neeraj, calling him “an example of excellence” and acknowledging his consistent talent. Neeraj’s mother expressed pride, saying, “For us, silver is as good as gold; even the gold winner is my son.” His father noted the challenge posed by an injury and dedicated the medal to Vinesh’s spirit.
Javelin Journey Began At Age 12
Neeraj Chopra began javelin throw at 12 in 2010, with his first coach, Akshay Chaudhary, at SAI Panipat, impressed by Neeraj’s initial skill. After a year, Neeraj trained at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula under Naseem Ahmed, who also introduced long-distance running to enhance his stamina.
Inspired by Czechoslovakia’s Jan Zelezny, Neeraj increased his throw distance from 55 meters to 68.40 meters, winning gold in Lucknow in 2012.
International Career Milestones
Neeraj’s international career took off in 2013 at the World Youth Championships in Ukraine. He won his first international medal in 2014 at the Youth Olympic Games qualification in Bangkok with a silver medal. By 2014, Neeraj surpassed the 70-meter mark in senior nationals, and in 2015, he achieved a junior world record throw of 81.04 meters.
Olympic Triumph And Record-Breaking Throws
On August 14, 2016, Neeraj won gold at the Under-20 World Athletics Championships with a throw of 86.48 meters, surpassing the bronze medalist’s best from the Rio Olympics. Neeraj’s performances included gold at the Tokyo Olympics with a throw of 87.58 meters, silver at the 2022 World Final, and gold in 2023, setting a national record with a throw of 89.94 meters at the Stockholm Diamond League.
Rivalry With Arshad Nadeem
Neeraj and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem have had a friendly rivalry since 2016. Neeraj had consistently defeated Nadeem until the Paris Olympics. In their final throw, Nadeem set a new record with 92.97 meters and claimed gold. Neeraj’s best throw was 89.45 meters, which earned him silver. All of Neeraj’s subsequent throws were fouls.
Nadeem, after losing nine times to Neeraj, finally won at this major event, delivering Pakistan’s first individual gold medal. Both athletes, aged 27 and 26, respectively, may face off again at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Neeraj reflected on the loss, saying, “I have been competing with Arshad since 2016, but this is the first time I have lost to him. He performed exceptionally well and deserves praise. Congratulations to him.”
Indians To Have Won Multiple Individual Medals In Olympics
- Neeraj Chopra: 2024 Silver, 2020 Gold – Athletics
- Norman Pritchard: 1900 (both silver medals in the same edition) – Athletics
- Manu Bhaker: 2024 (both bronze medals in the same edition) – Shooting
- Sushil Kumar: 2008 Bronze, 2012 Silver – Wrestling
- P. V. Sindhu: 2016 Silver, 2020 Bronze – Badminton
