Anand Mahindra’s Confession On Neeraj Chopra
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem made history by claiming the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw final at the Paris Olympics, surpassing India’s Neeraj Chopra and breaking the Olympic Games record in the process.
Neeraj Chopra, often hailed as India’s “golden boy,” had to settle for a silver medal, marking a rare moment of defeat for the champion. While Chopra acknowledged the need to reassess his performance and focus on areas for improvement, the entire nation reflected on what seems like a challenging Olympics campaign for India, with no gold medals yet secured. Even prominent businessman Anand Mahindra expressed his disappointment on social media but emphasized that Neeraj remains a hero for his humility and unwavering consistency.
Chopra’s best throw of 89.45 meters secured him the silver medal in Paris, with his top performance coming on his second attempt. However, four consecutive fouls hampered his chances of clinching the gold. Anand Mahindra took to X to share his thoughts.
“I confess. I was devastated last night when @Neeraj_chopra1 didn’t win his second Olympic gold medal. But, this morning, I first want to congratulate Arshad Nadeem for his record-breaking throw. AND his sportsmanship & camaraderie with Neeraj.
Anand Mahindra’s Confession On Neeraj Chopra
“Then I want to tell Neeraj that he wins a GOLD medal for consistency. He didn’t fumble, get fouled out, or get flustered. He quietly made his best throw of the season. And brought home a back-to-back medal and India’s first Silver. Reliable, predictable & consistent performance is the hallmark of a great sportsperson. Neeraj, you are a truly great athlete and a good human being. You have made us all proud,” Mahindra wrote on X.
Despite the silver, Chopra’s performance made him the second Indian male athlete post-independence to win two Olympic medals in an individual event.
Arshad Nadeem’s gold-winning throw of 92.97 meters set a new Olympic record, surpassing Denmark’s Andreas Thorkildsen’s mark from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Grenada’s Anderson Peters took home the bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters.
