Olympic Sports

Neeraj qualifies for final with his season’s best, Peters and Nadeem wish to make podium with him

August 6, 2024
Rohan Chowdhury
Neeraj Chopra in a middle of a conversation. Source (RevSportz)

Rohan Chowdhury in Paris

Neeraj Chopra is again in the headlines, with his season’s best throw of 89.34m, in his first attempt in the men’s javelin qualification round in Paris 2024. He looked confident from the beginning, taking his usual warm-up strides along with his challengers

Anderson Peters and Arshad Nadeem, his two big competitors, were in his group, but Chopra had the first throw to make. The run-up looked graceful as ever till the time he launched his javelin up in the air, which flew way past the yellow qualification line.

People had to wait a few seconds to see the score. It read 89.34m on the board, a little shy of his personal best of 89.94.

Humble as ever during the media interaction, Chopra said calmly, “This was just the qualification round. The final is a different ball game. Everyone will have a chance to make the podium and it’s a different mindset altogether.”

Chopra said he wasn’t at his best at the training sessions after reaching Paris. “I was focusing on improving the technique. The target was to qualify on the first throw.” That he did. “It will give me more time to stretch, get some rest and start the preparations for the final.”

Anderson Peters of Granada, who has been competing with Chopra since the Youth Olympics in 2016, spoke on the reigning Olympic champion. “It’s always a pleasure to compete with him. It would be great to finish on the podium with him,” added Peters.

It would be a glorious sight to see both India and Pakistan making the podium. Pakistan’s ace javelin thrower, Arshad Nadeem, had wishes for Neeraj. “Every athlete wishes to start well and I’m happy both Neeraj and I did well today,” he said.

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