Paris Olympics 2024: Did Neeraj Chopra's emotions cost him another Olympic Gold?
Xtra Time Web Desk: India’s star javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra, has opened up about his experience in the javelin final at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Despite giving his best effort, Chopra fell short of claiming back-to-back Olympic gold medals, as Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem stunned the competition with a record-breaking throw. Nadeem's remarkable 92.97m second attempt set a bar that proved too high for the rest of the field, including Chopra, who secured silver with his 89.45m throw in the second round.
In a recent interaction during the Mission Olympics 2036 program in Haryana, Neeraj admitted that Nadeem’s massive throw had put significant pressure on him, affecting his performance. Chopra revealed, “The first throw impacts the athlete's mindset a lot. My first throw was good, but I made a foul. The track was new, and I was trying to adjust.”
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He further added, “After Nadeem’s strong throw, my second attempt was also good, but I lost control. Sometimes, along with passion, you need focus, and I lost that focus in the heat of the moment. I was angry and desperate to win, but I missed the technical aspects.”
Although Neeraj Chopra couldn’t defend his gold from Tokyo 2021, his silver medal still marked a historic achievement. He became the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win two consecutive Olympic medals, cementing his legacy in Indian sports. Nadeem’s stunning 92.97m throw, however, took the spotlight, leaving Chopra with a hard-fought second place.
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Despite missing out on gold, Neeraj Chopra's incredible journey and consecutive Olympic medals have solidified his place as one of India's greatest athletes, proving that even in defeat, he continues to inspire a nation with his resilience and sportsmanship.
