The intense rivalry between India and Pakistan, well-known in cricket, has now extended to the javelin throw at the Olympics.
On Thursday at the Paris Olympics, Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan and Neeraj Chopra, the defending champion from India, finished in first and second place in the javelin event. The stadium, Stade de France, was filled with excited fans from both countries.
Nadeem, speaking through a translator, commented on the rivalry, saying, “There’s no doubt about the cricket rivalry. Now this javelin competition is also a big deal.” He added, “People in Pakistan and India were eager to see us both compete and try to outdo each other. I’m glad to see Chopra win the silver medal.”
Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters (305 feet) on his second attempt. This throw broke the previous record of 90.57 meters set by Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway in 2008. Chopra won silver with a throw of 89.45 meters, which was his best for the season. Anderson Peters from Grenada took the bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters.
Nadeem expressed his excitement, saying, “When I threw the javelin, I felt it might be an Olympic record. Thank God it turned out to be one.”
This is the first gold medal for Pakistan in track and field. Both Pakistan and India will have a chance to compete for gold in cricket when it joins the Olympic program in Los Angeles four years from now.
Chopra, who has struggled with injuries, fouled on all five of his other throws. He admitted, “I’m always injured,” referring to a groin injury that has affected his performance. Despite this, he congratulated Nadeem and his country.
Chopra had become a star in India by winning the country’s first-ever gold medal in track and field three years ago. However, there were no fans present in Tokyo due to the coronavirus pandemic. This time, the Indian diaspora ensured Chopra felt the support of his nation of 1.4 billion people.
Pakistan celebrates Arshad Nadeem’s Olympic gold medal in javelin
