Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra shared a candid reflection on his performance in the javelin throw final at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Despite giving it his all, Chopra fell short of securing his second consecutive Olympic gold. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem clinched the top spot with a remarkable record-setting throw in the final, leaving Chopra with a challenging but admirable result. While Chopra’s best efforts didn’t translate to gold this time, his dedication and skill continue to inspire countless fans.
Neeraj Chopra Shares Candid Insight on Olympic Final:
Nadeem achieved an impressive throw of 92.97m on his second attempt, setting a challenging benchmark for the competition. This high standard placed considerable pressure on Chopra, who struggled to find his rhythm. He recorded only one valid throw, which earned him a silver medal with a distance of 89.45m in the second round. Despite his efforts, the outstanding performance of Nadeem overshadowed Chopra’s achievements in the event.
In a recent conversation, Neeraj acknowledged that Arshad’s impressive throw during his second attempt intensified the pressure he faced. This remarkable performance added to the challenge for Neeraj, influencing his mindset as he competed for a top position in the event.
He said, “ The first throw impacts the athlete’s midset to a great level. My first throw was really good, but I made a foul. I was facing some problems as the track was new. I tried to adjust to it to avoid a foul, but I failed. The competition was tough.”
He added, “ Uske baad Nadeem ne achi throw lagayi phir meri second throw bhi achi nikli. Uske baad kya hua ki kayi baar ham bolte hain na ke josh ke sath hosh bhi rakhna chahiye. Toh uss din shayad mera hosh nahi tha. Uss din mein josh mein tha. Bohot zyada gussa tha ke mujhe karna hai. Lekin kahin na kahin jo technical chizen hain wo chhoot gayin (Nedeem got a good throw. And after that I lost control of myself. I was really angry as I wanted to do better. But somewhere in that I missed the technical aspect).”
Although Neeraj couldn’t defend his Olympic gold in Paris, he made history as the first Indian track-and-field athlete to secure two consecutive Olympic medals, following his gold at the Tokyo 2021 Games. Nadeem set a challenging standard with an incredible 92.97m throw on his second attempt, while Chopra, feeling the pressure, achieved just one valid throw of 89.45m in the second round, earning him a silver medal.
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