“I gave my best, but it was Arshad’s day”: Neeraj Chopra

Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who clinched a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, acknowledged on Friday that while he gave his best effort, it was Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem who shone the brightest, earning the gold. Chopra emphasized that it is now time to assess his performance and focus on areas that need improvement for the future.

Speaking to media, Chopra said, “We all feel happy whenever we win a medal for the country. It’s time to improve the game now. We will sit and discuss and enhance our performance.” He recognized the intense competition and noted that “every athlete has their day,” adding, “Today was Arshad’s day. I gave my best, but some things need to be addressed and worked on.”

Chopra also expressed optimism about India’s future in athletics, stating, “India played well (at the Paris Olympics). Our national anthem may not have been played today, but it will be heard in the future.”

Neeraj Chopra secured the silver medal with a best throw of 89.45 meters, which came on his second attempt. However, four consecutive fouls hindered his chances of clinching the gold. With this performance, Chopra became the second male athlete from post-independence India to win two Olympic medals in an individual event.

Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan won the gold with a throw of 92.97 meters, setting a new Olympic record and surpassing the previous mark set by Denmark’s Andreas Thorkildsen at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Grenada’s Anderson Peters secured the bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters.

Earlier in the competition, Chopra had registered a throw of 89.34 meters in the Group B qualification round, marking his second-best throw of all time. Despite leading 9-0 in their head-to-head rivalry, Nadeem’s throw of 90.18 meters at the 2022 Commonwealth Games had already surpassed Chopra’s top efforts, demonstrating the fierce competition between the two athletes.