The money was on India’s Neeraj Chopra to bring home the gold in men’s javelin throw at the Paris Olympics 2024 – a feat he achieved four years ago in Tokyo. The fact that he had qualified for the finals with the first throw itself – 89.34m – strengthened the belief of the Indian fans.
But, it was not to be, as his friend from across the border, Arshad Nadeem, stunned all with an Olympic Record throw of 92.97m in the finals to clinch the gold. Though Chopra threw his season best of 89.45m, he had to settle for a silver on a day the Pakistani athlete made history.
HIGHLIGHTS | Neeraj Chopra's javelin throw final Paris Olympics 2024: As it happened
Interestingly, Arshad Nadeem always wanted to be a cricketer, before he switched to track and field events. His father Muhammad Ashraf told The Indian Express that a young Arshad had asked for a cricket bat and ball. He had taken a liking to cricket, before two of his brothers persuaded him to take up athletics. Arshad went on to try his hand at discus throw, shot put, hammer throw and even long jump, along with javelin.
Soon, under the watchful eyes of coaches Rashid Ahmad Saqi and later five-time Pakistan national champion Syed Hussain Bukhari, Arshad Nadeem blossomed into a professional javelin thrower.
#WATCH | Haryana: On Neeraj Chopra winning a silver medal in men's javelin throw at #ParisOlympics2024, his mother Saroj Devi says, "We are very happy, for us silver is also equal to gold...he was injured, so we are happy with his performance..." pic.twitter.com/6VxfMZD0rF
— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2024
‘Like our son’: Neeraj Chopra’s mother lauds Arshad Nadeem
"Today was Arshad's day,” a graceful Chopra admitted later, while talking to ANI. “I gave my best, but some things need to be addressed and worked on."
Despite missing out on the gold, Chopra became only the third Indian and the first in track-and-field events to win back-to-back individual Olympic medals.
His family shared his joy for Arshad Nadeem’s feat, too. "For us, silver is also equal to gold. The one who got the gold (Arshad Nadeem) is also like our son," Chopra’s mother Saroj Devi told ANI. His father Satish Kumar, too, lauded Arshad Nadeem on becoming Pakistan’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medallist, saying it was "Arshad and Pakistan’s day".
