Paris Olympics 2024: Top contenders challenging Neeraj Chopra for javelin gold

Neeraj Chopra, India¡¯s golden boy in athletics, is set to defend his Olympic gold medal in the javelin throw at the Paris 2024 Olympics on August 8. Having secured his place in the final with a season-best throw of 89.34 meters during the qualification round, the 26-year-old is in top form and aims to make history once again.

Chopra first captured the world¡¯s attention when he clinched India's first-ever gold medal in a track and field event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a remarkable throw of 87.58 meters.

Credit: IANS

Since then, he has only added to his impressive resume, winning titles such as World Champion and Asian Champion. As he prepares to step onto the field at 11:55 PM IST, Indian fans are hopeful that he will achieve yet another historic victory by becoming the first Indian athlete to win two individual Olympic gold medals.

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¡ª Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 8, 2024

The road to gold in Paris, however, is far from easy. Chopra faces stiff competition from some of the world¡¯s top javelin throwers, all of whom have the potential to breach the 90-meter mark. His season-best throw currently leads the qualification rankings, positioning him well for the final, but the challenge remains formidable.

Here's a look at Neeraj Chopra's rivals:

Anderson Peters

Credit: Olympics.com

One of Chopra¡¯s main rivals is Anderson Peters, a Grenadian javelin thrower known for his exceptional strength and consistency. Peters, who won the world title in 2022 with a throw of 90.37 meters, defeating Chopra, is a strong contender in the event. Despite having a personal best of 93.07 meters, which clearly indicates his ability to regularly surpass the 90-meter mark, Peters' best throw this season is 86.62 meters. Nonetheless, he remains a significant threat and a top contender for the gold medal.

Julian Weber

Credit: Reuters

Another fierce competitor is Julian Weber from Germany, who has consistently performed at a high level on the global stage. Weber's throw of 87.76 meters at the Paris 2024 Olympics qualification underscores his capability. Although he finished just off the podium in fourth place at the 2023 World Championships¡ªwhere Neeraj Chopra claimed gold, Pakistan¡¯s Arshad Nadeem took silver, and Czech thrower Jakub Vadlejch won bronze¡ªWeber¡¯s personal best of 89.54 meters and season-best of 88.37 meters make him a formidable competitor in the final.

Arshad Nadeem

Credit: Reuters

Neeraj Chopra will also face a familiar opponent in Pakistan¡¯s Arshad Nadeem. The two have gone head-to-head in previous competitions, including the 2023 World Championships, where Chopra secured gold with a throw of 88.17 meters, narrowly beating Nadeem, who finished with a silver medal and a throw of 87.82 meters. Nadeem has shown consistent performance, securing an automatic qualification spot for the final with a throw of 86.59 meters. His personal best is an impressive 90.18 meters, although his season-best stands at 84.21 meters. As a close rival, Nadeem is expected to be in strong contention for a medal.

Jakub Vadlejch

Credit: AP

Czech thrower Jakub Vadlejch, the current world number one and the defending Olympic silver medallist, is also one to watch closely. Vadlejch has consistently been in the medal positions alongside Chopra since the Tokyo Games. His qualification for the final came with a throw of 85.63 meters, and his personal best is 90.88 meters. This season, Vadlejch has recorded a throw of 88.65 meters, underscoring his potential to challenge Chopra for the top spot on the podium.

Julius Yego

Credit: AP

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Kenyan javelin thrower Julius Yego could also spring a surprise in the final. Yego qualified with an impressive throw of 85.97 meters during the qualification round, and his experience and skill could see him vying for a medal on August 8.

The final showdown: what to expect

The final of the javelin throw consists of six rounds, with each athlete getting one throw per round. After the first three rounds, the bottom four athletes are eliminated, and the top eight continue to compete for the medals.

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The athlete with the longest valid throw at the end of all six rounds is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the athlete with the better second-best throw is ranked higher.

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