Neeraj Chopra Wins Silver in Javelin, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem Secures Gold with Olympic Record

At the Paris Olympics 2024, Neeraj Chopra clinched a silver medal in the men’s javelin final with a best throw of 89.45m. However, it was Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem who stole the spotlight, setting a new Olympic record with a stunning throw of 92.97m, securing his country’s first-ever track and field gold medal.

Neeraj, the Tokyo Olympic champion, produced the second-best throw of his career but couldn’t surpass Nadeem’s exceptional performance. Despite fouling five of his six attempts, Neeraj’s single valid throw earned India its first silver at these Olympics. Reflecting on his performance, Neeraj admitted that a 90m throw was within reach but remained proud of winning a medal for his country.

Nadeem’s victory marked a historic moment as he became the first Pakistani athlete to win an Olympic gold in javelin, breaking the previous Olympic record of 90.57m set in 2008. The final saw intense competition, with five athletes surpassing Neeraj’s Tokyo gold mark of 87.58m. Grenada’s Anderson Peters secured bronze with a throw of 88.54m.

The epic India-Pakistan rivalry on the Olympic stage added a new chapter, as Arshad Nadeem dethroned Neeraj Chopra, reversing their positions from the World Championships last year, where Neeraj won gold and Arshad silver. Despite the fierce competition, the mutual respect between the two athletes shone through, underscoring the sportsmanship and camaraderie in this historic javelin final.