'Managed only one throw, rest I fouled': Neeraj Chopra unhappy with ...
India's Neeraj Chopra is unhappy with his Olympics 2024 performance despite winning a silver medal on Thursday. Chopra said that despite not looking his best, he managed to do just enough to end up behind Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem.
Nadeem on Thursday won the gold medal in Men's Javelin by breaking the Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 metres. Chopra, on the other hand, won a silver medal with a throw of 89.45 metres.
He said that it was a good throw but his technique was not great. "My technique and runway was not that good. (I managed) only one throw, the rest I fouled," Chopra said. He added that if your run is not good in javelin, you cannot throw very far.
Neeraj Chopra added that regular injuries ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024 also impacted his preparations. "The last 2 or 3 years were not so good for me. I'm always injured. I really tried hard, but I have to work on my injury (staying injury-free) and technique," the 26-year-old Indian ace said.
Chopra also congratulated his rival Arshad Nadeem for the latter's stellar performance in the match. "Today's competition was really great. Arshad Nadeem threw really well. Congratulations to him and his country," he said.
Meanwhile, Neeraj Chopra's family expressed their joy on Friday after he won a silver medal in the men's javelin throw final at the Paris Olympics. His mother Saroj Devi told ANI that she was pleased with his performance and looked forward to cooking his favourite meal upon his return. She also praised Arshad Nadeem's performance, saying he is like their 'son'.
"'We are very happy. For us, silver is also equal to gold. The one who got the gold (Arshad Nadeem) is also like our son," Saroj Devi said. "He (Neeraj Chopra) was injured, so we are happy with his performance. I will cook his favourite food," she added.
Neeraj Chopra's father Satish Kumar said it was Pakistan's day in the men's javelin throw final. "Everyone has their day. Today was Pakistan's day. But we have won silver, and it is a proud thing for us," Kumar said. He added that Chopra's groin injury impacted his performance in Paris.
He also mentioned that Neeraj's performance in Paris will inspire the next generation. "He has won silver for the country. We are happy and proud. All the youths will get inspired by him,'" Kumar told reporters.
His grandfather, Dharm Singh Chopra, also commented on his grandson's achievement, saying, "He has given his best performance and won silver, adding one more medal to the country."
Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record for Pakistan's first individual gold at the event. Nadeem achieved a record 92.97 metres in his second attempt, setting a bar too high for the rest of the competitors, including Chopra, who managed 89.45 metres in the second round to win the silver.
The previous Olympic record was 90.57 metres, set by Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway during the 2008 Beijing Games.
