Neeraj Chopra-Arshad Nadeem press conference:
On June 8, 2024, at the Paris Olympics, India's Neeraj Chopra won a silver medal in javelin throw, making history once again. Neeraj is the first Indian athlete to win both gold and silver medals in consecutive visual athletic events.
On August 8, 2024, in Paris, Neeraj threw the javelin to a distance of 89.45 meters, securing the silver medal for India. In the same event, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem claimed gold with an impressive throw of 92.97 meters, while Grenada's Anderson Peters earned the bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters.
Source: aajtak
After the event, all three athletes attended a press conference where they fielded numerous questions. One journalist asked Neeraj and Arshad about the India-Pakistan rivalry.
Arshad Nadeem gave a brilliant response, saying, "When India and Pakistan compete, everyone drops what they're doing to watch. The same happens when my competition with Neeraj Chopra takes place. It brings us great joy."
Arshad added, "Whether it's in cricket or any other field, India vs. Pakistan matches always excite us. We are proud to represent South Asia on the global javelin stage, and we hope to inspire the youth of both nations to make their countries proud."
Neeraj Chopra chimed in, saying, "It's a wonderful thing for both countries. Javelin isn't as popular in either India or Pakistan. The same goes for Grenada (pointing to Anderson Peters)."
Speaking about his rivalry with Arshad, Neeraj said, "I've been competing with Arshad since 2016. I've been fortunate to win most of the time, but today Arshad did an amazing job. He brought honor to his nation, and I want to commend him for his hard work."
Neeraj also expressed hope that more talented javelin throwers will emerge in the future, making the sport popular in both countries.
Javelin Throw Medal Ceremony on August 9
The medal ceremony for the men's javelin throw took place on August 9, where Arshad Nadeem, Neeraj Chopra, and Grenada's Anderson Peters were honored with their medals.
