Neeraj Chopra secured a silver medal in the men’s javelin final with his best throw of 89.45 meters.
It took 13 days and the penultimate event of their campaign, but India finally secured a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics that wasn’t bronze. Neeraj Chopra, the face of Indian athletics, fell short of defending his Tokyo gold but still clinched a silver—India’s first of the 2024 Games. His best throw, a season-best of 89.45 meters on his second and only valid attempt, marked a significant achievement, though it wasn’t enough to surpass Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who claimed gold with a monumental Olympic record throw of 92.97 meters.
Neeraj may have missed out on gold, but he took India’s medal count at Paris 2024 to five, with a chance for another on Friday. Following Swapnil Kusale’s bronze in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions final, India went six days without winning a single medal. The drought was finally broken with two medals in one day—Neeraj’s silver and the men’s hockey team’s second consecutive bronze on Thursday evening.
Neeraj, who became only the second Indian male athlete to win multiple individual Olympic medals after former wrestler Sushil Kumar, had been touted as India’s biggest medal hope at the Paris Games. However, with formidable opponents like Julian Weber, Anderson Peters, and Arshad Nadeem, victory was far from guaranteed. The competition started on an unexpected note, with Neeraj, Arshad, and Weber all committing fouls on their first attempts. Arshad initially struggled, hesitating midway through his first run-up, and restarting, only to deliver an unsatisfactory throw.
However, the burly athlete from Pakistan quickly turned things around, unleashing a throw that comfortably surpassed the 90-meter mark, instantly putting Neeraj under pressure. Neeraj Chopra finally got on the board with his second attempt, but his momentum faltered again with another foul on his third try. After three rounds, four of the 12 competitors were eliminated, leaving Neeraj to face fierce competition from Jakub Vadlejch, Anderson Peters, Julius Yego, and Julian Weber among the top eight, though he maintained his second-place position.
In round four, as the order reshuffled, Peters took the lead with a throw of 88.54 meters, leapfrogging Vadlejch. Neeraj, eager to improve his standing, followed but was once again frustrated as he fouled, crossing the line and registering another no-throw. Nadeem was up next, and after a series of strong performances, he played it safe this time, staying within bounds but managing only 79.40 meters. Despite the dip in distance, Nadeem remained in the lead, with Neeraj holding onto second place and Peters in third.
More fouls from Neeraj Chopra
In the fifth round, Lassi Etelätalo couldn’t improve his position, while Keshorn Walcott recorded a modest 76.86 meters. Weber, needing a big throw, delivered an impressive 87.40 meters—an improvement but still not enough to break into the top three. Yego followed with another solid effort of 83.20 meters, keeping him in fourth place. Peters, determined to challenge for a higher spot, threw 87.38 meters, maintaining his third-place position. Vadlejch then managed 84.98 meters, falling short of the podium.
The spotlight shifted back to Neeraj Chopra for his fifth attempt. The pressure was immense, and once again, Neeraj Chopra fouled, crossing the line and venting his frustration. Nadeem responded with an 84.87-meter throw, solidifying his lead as the final round approached. With just one throw left for each competitor, it was now or never.
Etelätalo attempted to improve his standing with a final throw over 80 meters, but it wasn’t enough, leaving him in eighth place. Walcott opted to pass on his last attempt, securing seventh place. Weber’s final throw fell short of 85 meters, confirming his sixth-place finish with a best of 87.33 meters. Yego, with his earlier throw of 87.72 meters—good enough for gold in Tokyo—finished fifth.
Vadlejch, then in fourth place, had one last shot but couldn’t surpass the 85-meter mark, ensuring a medal for Neeraj Chopra Peters, with one final attempt to overtake Neeraj Chopra fell short, securing the bronze medal. Finally, it was Neeraj’s last chance to challenge Nadeem for the gold, but it wasn’t meant to be. He committed another foul, sealing his fate with a silver medal. Nadeem’s gold was guaranteed even before his final throw, and the 27-year-old celebrated the occasion by unleashing a gigantic throw of 91.79 meters.
