India's celebrated javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra recently reflected on his performance at the Paris Olympics 2024, where he clinched a silver medal. Despite his impressive throw of 89.45 meters, which marked his season's best, Neeraj fell short of defending his Olympic title. The gold medal went to Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, who threw an astounding 92.97 meters.
After the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally reached out to Neeraj, commending him for making the nation proud once again. During their conversation, the Prime Minister expressed his admiration for Neeraj's resilience, especially considering the adductor niggle that had been troubling him in the lead-up to the Games.
One of the most heartwarming moments of this interaction was when PM Modi praised Neeraj's mother, Saroj Devi, for her sportsman spirit. Despite the disappointment of not securing the gold, Saroj Devi displayed remarkable grace and composure.
“The interview of your mother showed the spirit of a sports family. The way she spoke about the gold medal where she said ‘he is also my son’ was beautiful,” the PM said.
Here is the video:
#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi spoke to Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and congratulated him on the Silver medal. He also enquired about his injury and lauded the sportsman spirit shown by his mother.#Paris2024 #Paris2024Olympic pic.twitter.com/DvVEMcNbPQ
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2024
Notably, In an interview, she expressed her happiness with her son's silver medal, acknowledging Arshad Nadeem's achievement by saying, "The one who got the gold is also like our son. He was injured, so we are happy with his performance."
How did Neeraj Chopra clinch the Silver Medal in Paris?
Neeraj's journey at the Paris Olympics was not without its challenges. He faced a rocky start with a foul throw in his first attempt, but his second throw was enough to place him in the silver medal position. Despite additional foul throws, Neeraj secured his spot among the medalists, adding another Olympic accolade to his illustrious career.
This silver medal makes Neeraj Chopra only the third Indian to win medals in consecutive Olympic Games, joining the ranks of wrestling legend Sushil Kumar and badminton star PV Sindhu. Furthermore, Neeraj remains one of only two Indians, alongside Abhinav Bindra, to have won an individual gold medal in the history of the Olympics.