Paris Olympics 2024: Neeraj Chopra brings home silver medal in Javelin throw, Pakistan's Nadeem takes Gold

New Delhi: India's Neeraj Chopra narrowly missed making history as the first athlete from the country to win two Olympic gold medals in individual sports. The 26-year-old recorded an incredible second throw of 89.34 meters, which was both his personal best for 2024 and the highest among the 30 athletes that won him the silver medal. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem took home the gold with a stunning throw of 92.97 meters, setting a new Olympic record.Neeraj's first, third, and fourth throws were all canceled, which hampered his performance in the finals at the Stade de France. Neeraj contended with formidable opposition from Vadlejch Jakub, Anderson Peters, and Arshdad Nadeem. 

Despite his efforts, Chopra could not outdo Nadeem, who dominated the competition with two throws exceeding 90 meters, including his record-breaking performance. The podium saw a historic India-Pakistan 1-2 finish in men's javelin, a sport traditionally dominated by European athletes. This outcome reversed the results of the previous year's World Championships, where Chopra claimed gold and Nadeem took silver. This year Nadeem took the first spot with his monsterous throw 

Neeraj's prideful plight

Neeraj Chopra, who became the first Indian to win an Olympic gold in track and field at Tokyo with a throw of 87.58 meters, now joins an elite group of Indian athletes—Norman Pritchard, Sushil Kumar, PV Sindhu, and Manu Bhaker—who have won more than one individual Olympic medal. Chopra, however, struggled in the final, managing only one legal throw amidst five fouls, while Nadeem's Olympic record throw placed significant pressure on the field.

Pakistan creates history at the javelin throw at Olympics 2024

Arshad Nadeem's victory marked Pakistan's first-ever Olympic gold medal in an individual event, sealing a momentous achievement for the nation. The men's javelin final at Stade de France was a star-studded event, with five throwers surpassing Chopra's Tokyo gold-medal distance of 87.58 meters. Tokyo silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch finished fourth in the event.