Neeraj Chopra fell short of defending his Olympic javelin title, settling for silver at the Paris Olympics. Chopra’s best throw of 89.45 meters was outperformed by Pakistan’s Nadeem Arshad, who claimed gold with a record-breaking throw of 92.97 meters. Arshad, who had finished fifth in Tokyo, delivered a standout performance to win the gold.

Chopra, a favorite after a strong qualification round, struggled in the final. His top throw came on his second attempt, but he fouled on his next four attempts. Despite the disappointment, Chopra’s silver medal makes him the fourth Indian athlete to win two Olympic medals in individual events.

Grenada’s Anderson Peters earned bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters, marking a comeback after failing to qualify in Tokyo.

Chopra qualified for the finals with a throw of 89.34 meters, his second-best ever. He had faced an adductor injury before the Games, which he managed carefully. His season included a second-place finish at the Doha Diamond League and a gold at the Federation Cup.

Following Chopra’s achievement, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended their congratulations. President Murmu highlighted Chopra’s success as an inspiration, while Prime Minister Modi praised his consistent performance and national pride. Home Minister Amit Shah also commended Chopra for enhancing the pride of the Indian flag with his performance.