This has turned out to be a year of silver coating on Neeraj Chopra’s big medals in the 2024 season. On a chilly Saturday night at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, the Paris 2024 Olympics hero looked good physically, but his best effort of 87.86 metres was agonisingly one centimetre short of what Anderson Peters produced to seal the deal in the season-ending finale. For all those who were watching it live inside the stadium and tried to keep themselves warm with the temperature hovering around 12 degrees Celsius mark, it was not going to be easy for the ‘throwers’ to produce their best.
Indeed, the contest was between Neeraj and Peters from Grenada in the absence of Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan, who had not qualified. The season-ending finale had seen Neeraj emerge champion in 2022. At the fag end of the season, when there were so many doubts about how Neeraj had preserved himself conservatively and managed his groin injury, he looked relaxed while competing in the arena.
For those not well versed with track and field events, a second-place finish or ‘silver’ effort in the finale may be “disappointing.” But then if you have tracked the journey of the 26-year-old Indian over the last six years, the way Neeraj has preserved himself and peaked repeatedly has been a fascinating story. At the Paris 2024 Olympics javelin final on August 8, Neeraj was up against Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, whose two throws in the 90-metre plus region was mind-blowing. He won gold with an effort of 92.97 metres.
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At that time, Neeraj managed a best effort of 89.45 metres. He was clearly unhappy with that silver effort and later spoke of how he had managed his groin injury. In fact, Neeraj had not even spoken about the injury in the build-up to Paris, preferring to focus on his training and the big two days – qualification on August 6 and the final on August 8.
The best part, celebrations were muted after the Paris Olympics silver medal effort and Neeraj quickly flew to another city in Europe to focus on his groin injury and to return to training as well after adequate rest. And when he competed in the Wanda Diamond League meet in Lausanne last month, Neeraj was explosive. His throw of 89.49 metres was top-drawer stuff, though, he again finished second. Neeraj is never happy with his efforts and even spoke of how getting to the 90-metre mark one day will not be beyond his reach.
When you are competing at the tail end of the season, with an injury to manage, it is not easy. Yet, while watching Neeraj go through the motions on television very late on Saturday night, almost into Sunday morning, he looked focused. As he ran in, accelerated and executed the throws, there was seemingly no discomfort on his face. At the same time, for those who prefer to look critically at technique and more, Neeraj was trying his best.
Peters did well to fire a 87.87 metres with his first throw itself and was not able to push harder from there. In contrast, Neeraj came up with 87.86 metres in his third attempt. That he fell one centimetre short was no shame, he had given his best. Clearly, for those who think the javelin throwers can go over 90 metres regularly, it’s humanly not possible. And if someone is still going to say Neeraj fell short in terms of what he had managed to pull off in Lausanne last month, that would be unfair.
One has to look at the way Neeraj has kept emotions in check. While the rest of the medal winners at the Paris 2024 Olympics and the Paralympic heroes returned home to celebrate, Neeraj did not get distracted. He did not want to come home and soak in the celebrations. Neeraj and his think-tank were clear, he had to compete in the two Diamond League events and sign off from the 2024 season.
Last month, Athletics Federation of India President Adille Sumariwalla, who is also Vice President of World Athletics had said the plan will be for Neeraj to take a complete break till the 2025 season. The real story of Neeraj is how he has not let the injury bother him. It is hard to recall how many champions from India have such passion and the willingness to keep pushing hard. Winning two back to back medals in two editions of the Olympics and not returning home to celebrate, only Neeraj can do this.
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