Dethroned from his perch as the reigning champion by arch-rival from Pakistan, Arshad Nadeem, with a monstrous second throw that also set a new Olympic record, India’s javelin ace Neeraj Chopra finished with the silver medal here last evening after battling with his groin trouble during the competition.
Nadeem made the capacity crowd at the Stade de France gasp with awe with a massive throw of 92.97m, the sixth best in history that also bettered the existing Olympic record of 90.57m set by Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Chopra, who became the first Indian individual Olympic gold medalist in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, knew he had to cross the 90-metre mark for the first time ever and responded with a throw of 89.45m that was good enough to secure him the second place, the fifth medal hauled in by India in Paris from various disciplines and the first silver medal.
Nadeem had destroyed the field with that Olympic record-creating throw to clinch the first-ever athletics gold medal for his country and its first medal of any hue since the men’s hockey bronze in 1992.
Chopra, who fouled all his other five throws, later told in the press conference addressed by all three medal winners (Granada’s reigning world champion Anderson Peters being the bronze winner with a throw of 88.54m in his fourth attempt), that his groin problem has been hampering him for some time now and was at the back of his mind when he competed here.
“I have had some groin problems for so many years. At the beginning of this year everything was perfect but then It flared up. It happened last year and also in 2022 in Eugene (during the world championship). Anderson won that with three 90-metre throws.
“My groin injury is always at the back of my mind and it is not good. I am not happy with my groin trouble. When I compete, my mind always goes 40-50 per cent to my groin. It is not good for our technique and run-up. Today also only my one throw was good and all others were fouls. I was too close to the line. In my mind, I was more focused on my injury.
”We will see how it will feel in the morning. I have to make a decision. I will meet with my doctors, meet with my team and, maybe, I have to go for surgery,” said Chopra who led the qualification rounds with an 89.34-metre throw in his very first attempt on August 6.
“Maybe in the future I will make a good decision with a good doctor, and be free of injuries and be fit. It can be done.
“Before the last World Championship, the doctors said I needed to undergo surgery. I had no time and have been pushing the limits. But I need to make the big decision,” he declared at his mixed zone interaction.
“Today’s competition was good. My congratulations to Nadeem and Anderson. It was one of the greatest competitions in the history of javelin. Arshad threw really well. I also did well,” he added.
On the added pressure of being the defending champion, Chopra said: For the first time I was the defending champion (in Paris). It was the same situation in the Asian Games (2022, Hangzhou), but you cannot compare AG to Olympics. When Arshad threw 92.97, I knew the challenge I faced as I have never crossed 90 m. In the second throw I really believed I could do it. My run up was not that good, my crow step was not good and my speed (too) was not good. Still, a throw of 89.45m was okay. I believed I had a good throw in me. I am happy today that I won a medal for my country. In future I will throw more by working hard.
On the secret of his consistent podium finishes, Chopra pointed out his continuous training schedule.
“It is because of my continuous training. That’s the reason for my consistency, but I need to improve my consistency and increase my throwing distance (too).
Pakistan’s Nadeem was ecstatic in bagging his country’s first-ever medal in athletics, that too a gold with a new Olympic record to boot. He too had come into the Olympics after having surgery done to his troublesome knee.
“Before the Diamond League I had surgery done on my right knee. I became hopeful about my Olympic performance by doing well in the Diamond League. I qualified (here) with my first throw. It was only the second time I had done an 86-plus throw in the qualification. I did that (earlier) at the Commonwealth Games (2022 Birmingham). It gave me confidence for today’s final. I have improved my technique, worked hard on it and it has become better.”
Anderson too has been beset with injuries, ankle earlier and groin after his qualification here.
“It was tough dealing with my ankle injuries. Only two weeks ago I became pain free. Last week I threw 89 m in practice. Unfortunately after coming into the final, my left groin started acting up,” he revealed. EOM