India’s Neeraj Chopra has advanced to the finals of the men's javelin throw event at the Paris Olympics 2024. On Tuesday, Chopra secured his spot with a remarkable first throw of 89.34 meters, easily surpassing the automatic qualifying mark of 84 meters. The 26-year-old, who also excelled at the Tokyo Olympics, holds the national record of 89.94 meters, achieved at the Stockholm Diamond League in June 2022.
Arshad Nadeem's Strong Performance
Following Chopra, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem also qualified for the men's javelin final with a throw of 86.59 meters. Nadeem, who won silver at the World Championships last year and gold at the Commonwealth Games 2022 with a throw of 90.18 meters, is set to face Chopra in one of the most anticipated rivalries in athletics.
Kishore Jena's Heartbreaking Exit
It was a disappointing outing for India’s Kishore Jena, who failed to make it to the final in his maiden Olympics appearance. Jena managed a best throw of 80.73 meters, placing him ninth in Group A and out of contention for the 12-man final. Despite his efforts, Jena’s performance fell short of the required mark to advance, with his best attempt being his first throw. His subsequent throws were either invalid or below his initial mark.
Finals Schedule
Neeraj Chopra will compete in the final round of the men's javelin throw on August 8 at 11:55 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).