Neeraj Chopra, The best of the season is not enough to defend the title javelin Titled nadim The second throw in the final solved the problem.
Paris: sweltering and muggy weather on Thursday night at Stade de France. The air was still with a mixture of anxiety. These are not ideal conditions for athletes who want to show their best results. But it will be Neeraj Chopra mind’s last experience.
He comes here as a defending champion in javelin throwing. “It motivates you. It makes you focus more on your performance.” Just two days before, he had reached 89.94m at this venue where he qualified second best only to his own national record; “Don’t listen to this shot. In the end alag cheez hai (the final is something else),” he said.
This is different. Very different. India’s top qualifier for Tokyo 2020 began with a foul attempt. The same goes for Pakistan Arshad Nadeem, Neeraj’s closest rival on track. But that’s no worry for the two heroes of the subcontinent.
They came out on top on their second try. Nadeem set an Olympic record with a huge throw of 92.97 meters that seemed almost impossible… until suddenly it wasn’t. The javelin kept rising higher and higher into the air before descending and causing pandemonium in the stands. Previous mark stood at 90.57m.He is just light-years away from everybody else.
Neeraj He finished second with a time of 89.45 meters in his second attempt, 3.52 meters behind the Pakistani athlete. He showed, through his right hand gesture, that he did not want to finish there.For him and many others, there is still work ahead.
Nadeem’s third throw traveled around 88m;he pumped up his fist while looking satisfied with himself. He knew he had done his best. Neeraj committed his third throwing foul. One way or the other, this one is a bad one. Indians are usually most successful in their first attempts. How about three gone? Does Nadeem’s pitching increase the pressure on him?
Other challengers – Grenada’s Anderson Peters, Czech Republic’s Jakub Valech, Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshaun Walcott and Germany’s Julian Weber – Just behind Neeraj after four attempts. At 88.5m Vadlejch was third.
This script can still change; the Pakistani has perhaps put the gold away in some kind of a safe.The game is up for grabs now. It’s all about two more medals to be awarded.
Neeraj also fouled on his fourth and fifth throws.He made only one good throw out of four. This is very unusual. Still second from bottom but with one throw remaining, he may get toppled from that position.
It’s currently Pakistani gold and Indian silver. Not many expected it before what happened next. Nadeem got silver at World Championships and has been consistently above 90m for years. He picked this stage as well as venue to have an opportunity to throw like he always wanted to.
Neeraj also fouled on the sixth and final throw. I want to thank everyone”,he rose his hands up. Then Nadeem pitched again. His another first one – 91.79m shorter. And then he went down on bended knees thanking God.
By defending his men’s javelin title, Chopra aims to become the fifth athlete in Olympic history who has ever done so. His attempt was not successful but with a silver medal in hand, he is one step ahead of any other Indian Olympian.
