How Neeraj Chopra is edging closer to the 90m mark
Neeraj Chopra is inching closer to the 90-meter mark in the men's javelin event. Be it any event, logging a throw 90 meters long or more in a javelin event can more often than not get you on the podium. However, despite winning numerous gold and silver medals in his career, Chopra has yet to reach that mark.
Until recently, at the Paris Olympics, he was also the record holder for the best throw made by an Asian at the Olympic Games. But now Arshad Nadeem has breached that.
However, Chopra's slow progress this year suggests a different picture. It seems that although he is injured and might need surgery, he is slowly moving towards that 90-meter mark.
Let's take a look at his last three throws, hinting at the same.
#1 89.49m
On Thursday, at the Lausanne Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra registered his season's personal best. Yes, he had two more prior to this but this is now his best throw. He made an 89.49-meter-long throw to achieve this feat. His throw was 0.51 m, far from the 90 m mark.
#2 89.45m
At the Paris Olympics 2024 men's javelin throw final, Chopra made an 89.45-meter throw to win a silver medal. He came in second to Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, who threw for 92.97 meters. Chopra was a gold medal hopeful, as he had achieved the same feat in his debut Olympic campaign back in Tokyo.
#3 89.34m
Neeraj Chopra breezed through the qualification stages for the men's javelin throw at the Paris Olympics. In his only effort, he threw 89.34 meters, securing his spot in the finals. This was his strongest-ever throw in the Olympic Games qualification stages, as well as his first personal best of the season.