Neeraj Chopra uncorks season’s best throw of 89.34m to storm into javelin final; Kishore Jena out

Paris: India's Neeraj Chopra competes in the Men's javelin throw qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. (PTI Photo)

Neeraj Chopra, the defending Olympic and world champion, stormed into the final of the javelin at the Stade de France with his very first throw soaring more than five metres over the qualification mark of 84m. The first athlete to throw in Group B, Neeraj sent the javelin soaring 89.34m despite losing his balance at the time of release. It was his longest throw of the year, almost a metre better than the 88.36m he threw in the Doha Diamond League meeting in May. It was also comfortably the longest throw in qualifying, 0.71m clear of Grenada’s Anderson Peters.

Unfortunately for India, Kishore Jena, the Asian Games silver medallist, couldn’t join Neeraj in the 12-man final, after managing a best throw of only 80.73m. Jena fouled his second effort, and his final throw of 80.21m made no impression as he finished ninth among the 16 starters in Group A.

Jena’s form in 2024 had always suggested that he might struggle to make the final. His best effort of 80.84m, at Panchukula on June 30, was way down on his efforts in 2023. Apart from Neeraj, four other Indians – Sachin Yadav, DP Manu, Sahil Silwal and Vikrant Malik – had thrown further than him in 2024. Manu, however, lost his spot in the Paris contingent after failing a dope test in June.

Kishore’s underwhelming display in Paris was a far cry from his heroics in Hangzhou, where he pushed Neeraj all the way in the Asian Games final. After taking the lead with 86.77m in this third throw, he produced an even more stunning 87.54m in the next round. Neeraj needed to dig deep and summon up an effort of 88.88m to clinch gold.

Neeraj wasn’t the only thrower to impress in qualifying though. Most of his main rivals were also hugely impressive. Germany’s Julian Weber, fourth in Tokyo, was first to qualify, with a huge fling of 87.76m. Czechia’s Jakub Vadlejch, runner-up to Neeraj in Tokyo, sealed his spot in the final with an 85.63m throw, while Kenya’s Julius Yego came back from two poor throws to qualify with a final effort of 85.97m.

From Neeraj’s group, both Peters and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem uncorked monster throws – 88.63m and 86.59m – to take their places in Thursday’s final. The biggest shock in qualifying was Germany’s Max Dehning failing to qualify. The 19-year-old had thrown 90.20m, the biggest throw of the year, in Halle in February, but his best effort in Paris was a dismal 79.24m.

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