Reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra expressed confidence in his performance, stating he has reserved his top form for the final after securing the leading position in the men’s javelin throw qualification at the Paris Olympics. Chopra achieved a remarkable throw of 89.34 meters at the Stade de France on Tuesday, the best mark across both qualification groups.
Chopra’s impressive throw came on his first attempt, setting the stage for a strong defense of his title. He previously won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a throw of 87.58 meters, becoming the first Indian to win an individual gold medal in a track and field event.
In his post-qualification comments, Chopra emphasized that the final will present a different challenge compared to the qualification round. “The qualification round is just the beginning; the final is a whole different ballgame. My focus now shifts to final preparations after a solid start,” he told reporters.
The 26-year-old athlete acknowledged that all throwers who met the automatic qualification mark of 84 meters will be formidable competitors in the final. Nevertheless, he highlighted that he is reserving his peak performance for the medal event.
“I’m keeping my best throws for the final and concentrating on that. I’m prepared for the final. Despite not performing well in practice here, I aimed to qualify with my first throw. My fitness has improved, and I warmed up adequately before my initial attempt,” Chopra explained.
Alongside Chopra, eight other athletes advanced to the final with the automatic qualification mark, including Grenada’s Anderson Peters (88.63m), Germany’s Julian Weber (87.76m), Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem (86.59m), and Kenya’s Julius Yego (85.97m), who rounded out the top five.
Chopra shared his approach to throwing, noting that he strives to excel with his first attempt. “I aim to perform well from the first throw, but that doesn’t always happen. If I don’t achieve my best with the first throw, I give my all in each subsequent attempt,” he said.
Regarding his earlier adductor injury, Chopra reassured, “I’m feeling better and taking all necessary precautions, including proper warm-ups before each throw.”
India’s Kishore Kumar Jena, competing in Group A, did not advance to the final. His best effort was 80.73 meters on his first attempt, followed by a foul on his second attempt and a throw of 80.21 meters on his third.
As the reigning world and Asian champion, Chopra will strive to become the first Indian athlete to secure two individual Olympic gold medals when the final takes place on August 8.
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