Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who won silver at the Paris Olympics, acknowledged on Friday that the gold medal was rightfully earned by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. Chopra, who threw a best of 89.45 meters on his second attempt, expressed the need for introspection and improvement.
Focus on Performance Improvement
In an interview with ANI, Chopra shared his satisfaction at contributing to his country’s medal tally but emphasized the need for better performance. “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 said.
Chopra, who faced four consecutive fouls, noted, “Today was Arshad’s day. I gave my best, but some things need to be addressed and worked on.” Despite his frustration, he remained hopeful for India’s Olympic future, adding, “India played well at the Paris Olympics. Our national anthem may not have been played today, but it will be heard in the future.”
Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters secured bronze with 88.54 meters. Chopra’s throw in the Group B qualification round was his second-best all-time.