“I felt like I'd be able to do it, there was this strange self-belief”- Neeraj Chopra on competing after Arshad Nadeem’s mammoth 92.97m throw in Paris
The javelin throw final at the Paris Olympics was a stunning show, and Neeraj Chopra was made to fight hard before he eventually settled for silver. After the competition, the Tokyo gold medalist spoke about his performance at the Games, and where he thinks he could have done better.
Chopra came into the finals as a strong contender to defend his title. He'd achieved a massive season best of 89.34m in his first try in the qualification round and topped the chart with ease despite only throwing that once.
Come finals day, the Indian registered a no-throw on his first attempt, but the field was just getting warmed up and there was little cause for concern. However, before his second turn, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem registered an incredible 92.97m on his second try, breaking the Olympic record.
While Neeraj Chopra achieved a mark of 89.45m on his second throw, his remaining four attempts were registered as fouls and he settled for silver. Speaking to the media after the competition, he said that after Nadeem registered his eventual gold-medal winning throw, he had a belief that he'd be able to challenge that distance.
“Personally, when Arshad (Nadeem) threw his second throw, where he achieved a mark of 9.97m, I felt like I'd be able to do it. There was this strange self-belief, despite the fact that I'm yet to breach the 90m barrier, I had the intention, the passion, that made me feel like I could do it.”
Neeraj Chopra on his emotions after winning silver and the road ahead
In the same interview, Neeraj Chopra discussed what it felt like to be a part of the podium at the Paris Olympics. The Indian expressed his happiness at the medal but added that injuries prevented him from unlocking his full potential at the Games
“I have the medal in one hand and the Indian flag in the other, so I'm happy about that, but there's a lot to work on. I've been injured for a while now, and haven't been able to compete as much as I would like. I've not been able to work on my mistakes, but once I can start working on these mistakes we'll see good results.”
The now two-time Olympic medalist ended the conversation by praising Nadeem while letting fans know that they can expect more from him in the future.
“Even my throw of 89m is alright, but this isn't the end for me yet, there's a lot more to come. Arshad was throwing well today, so the person who works the hardest deserves it. Overall, it was a great competition.”
With his podium finish in Paris, Neeraj Chopra has become the first Indian to win a silver at the 2024 Games. He has also cemented his status as one of the nation's best athletes of this century.