Neeraj Chopra started his title defense with a powerful throw in the men’s javelin qualification round at the Paris Olympics 2024. On Tuesday, he led Group B with a personal best throw of 89.34 meters on his first attempt, securing his place in the final.
This impressive throw is his best performance at a global championship and his second-best overall, behind his 89.94m throw at the Stockholm Diamond League in 2022.
Chopra, the reigning Olympic and world champion, arrived in Paris with a season-best throw of 88.36m from the Doha Diamond League. Despite dealing with an adductor injury this season and competing in only three events, the 26-year-old has shown strong form and is a leading contender.
Happy Neeraj Chopra day, to all those who celebrate. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/TLRXRAByrt
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 6, 2024
Chopra aims to become the first Indian to win two gold medals in individual Olympic events and only the fifth man in Olympic history to defend his javelin gold. The final is scheduled for August 8 at 11:50 pm.
In Group B, Chopra was followed by Anderson Peters, who threw 88.63m, and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who achieved 86.59m, with all three athletes advancing to the final.
(This is a breaking news. More details are awaited.)
