
India’s Neeraj Chopra had to settle for a silver medal in the men’s javelin throw at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday (Aug 8). Neeraj, the defending Olympic champion threw a best of 89.45 meters to win silver and finish on the podium while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem scripted history for the nation with a first individual gold medal. Neeraj also became the second male athlete to win multiple Olympic medals in post-independence after Sushilkumar for India.
One of the favourite to win the gold medal, Neeraj Chopra had clinched qualification to the final round with a throw of 89.34 meters and was in great form. The Indian star athlete fouled on his opening throw but gained composure to go 89.45 meters in his second throw. However, it was during the second round of throws that the gold medal was decided as Pakistan Arshad threw 92.97 meters to set a new Olympic record.
Neeraj would then end with three consecutive fouls but maintained his second place against Anderson Peters who won the bronze medal. Arshad on the flip side maintained his composure to put pressure on Neeraj.
The silver medal for Neeraj also meant India won its first silver medal in the ongoing Paris Olympics. The day was also monumental with India’s men’s hockey team winning a bronze medal while Aman Sehrawat is on the brink of a bronze medal despite losing the wrestling 57kg men’s freestyle semifinal.
Neeraj joins PV Sindhu, Sushilkumar and Manu Bhaker to win multiple individual Olympic medals in the post-independence era.
While, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem became the first individual athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics and only the third Pakistani athlete ever to do so. He ended the nation’s 32-year wait for an Olympic medal having last won a bronze medal in men’s hockey in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. It is also Pakistan’s first gold medal since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics which also came in men’s field hockey.