Paris (France): India's 'golden boy' Neeraj Chopra, who won gold at the Paavo Nurmi Games, needed just one throw to qualify for the men's javelin throw final of the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 here on Tuesday.
Neeraj, who won the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, the first in the athletics, didn't take the next two attempts as he successfully qualified for the finals after scoring the best throw of the qualification round. He threw the javelin to a huge distance of 89.34 meters, his personal second-best and best Olympic throw.
Earlier, Neeraj's compatriot Kishore Kumar Jena failed to live up to the expectations as failed to cross the qualification standard and find a place in the best 12 throwers. Jena managed to throw a javelin throw to a distance of 80.75 meters in Group A.
Meanwhile, India's archer rival Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem came third. He was the second athlete to confirm his final spot from Group B after throwing the javelin to a distance of 86.59 in his attempt. Arshad opted not to throw the javelin on his remaining attempts and walked off.
Neeraj, the federation cup champion, leads the qualification round while Nadeem stands at fourth after two-time former world champion Anderson Peters (2nd - 88.63) and Germany's Weber Julian (3rd - 87.76m).
The 26-year-old Indian came into the Olympics after recovering from the injury adductor niggle which insisted that he wasn't injured. Prior to his campaign, Mohak Nahta, Atlys co-founder, had promised to provide free visas to its users if Neeraj Chopra wins a gold at the Olympics. Taking to LinkedIn, entrepreneur Mohak Nahta wrote, "I will personally send a free visa to any country and to everyone if Neeraj Chopra wins a bar of gold at the Olympics. Let’s go."
Neeraj had thrown a best attempt of 87.58m to win the Olympic gold in the Tokyo Olympics and became the only second Indian to clinch a gold medal in an individual event at the Summer Games.
ONE AND DONE!
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) August 6, 2024
Men's Javelin Throw Qualification Update👇🏻
With the quest to defend his crown👑, #TokyoOlympics Gold 🥇 medalist @Neeraj_chopra1 advances to the finals with his first throw of 89.34 metres.
Meanwhile, @Kishore78473748 bows out of the #Paris2024Olympics with… pic.twitter.com/CEgOLvn1ve
Following his exceptional throw in the qualification round, Defending Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra said, he has saved his best for the final. "This is just the qualification round, the mindset and the situation in the final are different. I should focus on the preparations for the final after getting a good start," Neeraj told reporters after the end of the qualification round.
"I'm saving the best for the final and focusing on it. I'm ready for the final. I was not doing well here in the practice but when the qualification started, I had set the aim of qualifying in the first throw. My fitness is better now and I warmed up well before taking the first attempt," Neeraj said.
