The 2024 Paris Olympics is set to begin soon, and one of India’s main faces for this year’s event is Neeraj Chopra. The expectations from him are immense. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he made India proud by securing the first place in javelin throw. However, before the Tokyo Olympics, the question arose: can Neeraj retain his gold medal?
*A Tough Test Awaits Neeraj*
The Olympics will commence on July 26th, with the event taking place in Paris. In the last Olympics, Neeraj brought home India’s only gold medal by throwing the javelin 87.58 meters. This has raised the expectations of millions of Indians, who will be watching him closely in this Olympics. To retain his medal, Neeraj will need to surpass his previous distance in the javelin throw. Though his personal best is 89.94 meters, many are questioning whether he can keep his gold medal.
The road ahead for Neeraj is set to be even more challenging this time. After the Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj won gold and silver medals in the 2022 and 2023 Athletics Championships. At the Doha Diamond League final, he achieved a distance of 88.36 meters in the javelin throw, which is his best score of the season. However, some top athletes of the season pose a significant challenge for him.
*Who are Neeraj’s Competitors?*
In the 2024 season, the top spot in javelin throw is held by the 20-year-old German, Max Dehoning, who is a strong contender for the gold medal. Max set a new record by throwing the javelin 90.20 meters. The second spot on the list is held by another German athlete, Julian Weber, with a season-best score of 88.37 meters. The third spot is occupied by Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic, who has thrown the javelin 88.65 meters, making headlines. Each of these athletes is ahead of Neeraj and is a strong contender for a medal in this Olympics.
This time, the hopes and expectations of Indians are much higher. Many are predicting that more medals will come in this Olympics compared to previous ones. Most expectations are pinned on stars like Neeraj Chopra and PV Sindhu. Unfortunately, Shivpal Singh, who had a personal score of 87.54 meters, will not be participating due to a failed doping test, which diminishes India’s medal hopes slightly. The Olympics will run from July 26th to August 11th. All eyes are on Neeraj, the golden boy, to see if he can bring home the gold again.
