Neeraj Chopra aims for bigger returns post silver medal in Paris Olympics, says ’No comparison with a gold medal’

Despite missed to win gold medal in javelin throw at the recently held Paris Olympics 2024, India's silver medalist Neeraj Chopra is hurt but confident of bigger returns in upcoming competitions.

Chopra, who made history in 2020 Tokyo Olympics with India's first ever Olympic track and field gold, threw the javelin till 89.45 metres at Paris, but lost to Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem who won gold with an Olympic record of 92.97 metres in the javelin final.

The 89.45 metres at Paris was Neeraj's not too far off his personal best of 89.94m.

While training at Switzerland for upcoming tournaments, Chopra said to reporters, as quoted by AFP, "There is no comparison with a gold medal."

He added, “Winning back-to-back medals for your nation is good and taking a lap of the ground with your country's flag is always a wonderful feeling. But the national anthem playing when your flag goes up with you on top of the podium was missing.”

Though he said he was pleased with silver medal, he said, "We have to accept what we have. I am happy with what I got."

The Indian javelin star missed a few competitions last year due to his groin injury, but before that won world championship gold in that.

On 90m and beyond:

Hailing from Haryana, Neeraj Chopra remains confident of future success.

"I believed that I could cover more distance," he said while reacting to Nadeem's throw in Paris, adding he will not set himself targets of 90 metres and more. "I leave this to God. Just prepare well, and give it a rip, the javelin will travel," he said.

"There has already been talk about 90m, now I feel just let it be. In Paris, I thought it would happen and it could have happened. Now I will give my 100 percent in the next two or three events and see what happens," PTI quoted Neeraj during a virtual interaction arranged by JSW.

Surgery soon!

It is expected that Neeraj may consult the doctors on his groin injury with surgery after the season-ending Diamond League in Brussels from 13-14 September.

According to details, Chopra needs to finish in the top-six of Diamond League Meetings series to qualify for the season finale in Brussels.

"I came to Switzerland for training ahead of Diamond League. Luckily I did not aggravate my injury as I took extra care of that. I thought of continuing my season like most other athletes. There is one month to go for season end. I will go to the doctors in free time," he said.

With agency inputs.