PremiumParis Olympics 2024: When and where to watch India’s golden boy Neeraj Chopra in action in Men’s javelin throw final
Paris Olympics 2024: Neeraj topped the qualifications across both groups with a whopping first throw of 89.34m, a distance he will need to aim for to defend his title
Neeraj Chopra
Last Updated: 07.54 PM, Aug 08, 2024
Neeraj Chopra may not have had participated in a lot of competitive events in the run-up to the Paris Olympics, but on August 6, when he came out for his throw in the Group B qualification, he showed off the peak form he is in right now. After the Group A qualification, commentators had said that the topper, Julian Weber had recorded a throw that measured more than Chopra’s gold-medal winning effort from 4 years ago.
Then, about an hour later, Chopra, who is the defending Olympic champion, ran down the track and heaved his javelin across for a throw that was just shy of 90m, a barrier that he is yet to breach at any competitive level. 89.34 m it was, which was comfortably more than Andersen Peters’ 88.63m. This was Chopra’s season best, and second best overall in his career.
What Neeraj Chopra's competition looks like
Chopra will have to replicate this distance, if not more, when he takes the field in the final. Many of his competitors have comfortably broken into the coveted 90m club in recent years. Peters has a personal best of 93.07m, Arshad Nadeem’s is at 90.18m, Jakub Vadlejch at 90.88m, while Weber’s stands at 89.54m. Chopra’s first throw will have to be his absolute best. Vadlejch is the 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medallist, while Nadeem, Mardare, Weber and Lassi Etelatalo are also Olympic Games veterans.
The men’s javelin throw final will be held on August 8 at 11.50 pm at the Stade de France. Viewers in India can watch it the men’s javelin throw final live on Sports Network18 or on streaming via JioCinema.
If Chopra successfully defends his Olympic champion title, he will be only the 5th man in the sport to manage this feat, while also becoming the first Indian to win consecutive gold medals in an individual sport.