Paris 2024 Olympics Javelin Throw: Neeraj Chopra vs Oliver Helander head-to-head record
Neeraj Chopra will be competing against 11 other javelin throwers in the men's javelin throw finals on August 8. One such tough opponent for Neeraj at the Paris 2024 Olympics is Finland's Oliver Helander.
Neeraj and Oliver will be up against each other in their quest to achieve a podium finish. The two athletes competed at the men's javelin throw qualification round on August 6. While Chopra was a part of Group B, Helander competed in Group A.
The Indian thrower was emphatic in his performance at the qualifiers. All Neeraj took was the one throw to make it automatically into the finals. With a throw of 89.34m, the 26-year-old exceeded the required qualification standard of 84.00m to qualify directly.
On the other hand, the Finnish athlete did not register an automatic qualification. However, with the fifth-best throw of Group B, Oliver made it to the finals marking 83.81m in his first attempt.
Neeraj Chopra will start the medal round as a strong favorite given how well he performed at the qualification stage. However, he can expect a tough challenge from a solid competitor in Oliver Helander.
The two athletes have met previously at 10 official competitions. Neeraj Chopra has excelled in 10 out of the 11 while Oliver Helander has done better than his opponent in one competition. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj won the coveted gold while Oliver failed to make it into the finals.
See the full head-to-head record of Neeraj Chopra vs Oliver Helander
There is no doubt that Neeraj Chopra looks all set to achieve another podium finish in Paris. The star thrower has reiterated his pedigree with an amazing showing in the qualification round.
The Indian star looks in ominous form and would appear as one of the greatest challenges to all his competitors including Oliver. The Finnish thrower will be wary of the threat that Neeraj poses and would have to compete out of his skin to hold any chance in the finals.