'Haven't reached my peak,' says Neeraj Chopra after qualifying for Paris Olympics final

Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan qualified for the finals of the men’s javelin throw event at the State de France stadium on Tuesday, marking a new era of rivalry and camaraderie between the athletes.

Neeraj qualified for the final with a massive throw of 89.34m, his second-best throw ever, in his very first throw at the Paris Olympics. Arshad, who battled injuries in the recent past, made a comeback with an 86.59m throw and cemented his place in the final.

After the end of the qualification round, Neeraj said, "My biggest motivation is that I always go out to do my best because I know I have not reached my peak. I am not yet as good as I would like to be technically or in distance, so I want to improve and throw further."

"The other throwers have also thrown significantly well and the competition will be tough at the Paris Olympics," said Neeraj.

In an epic showdown at the men’s javelin final, along with several other elite athletes from around the world, Neeraj and Arshad are the sole qualifiers from the Indian subcontinent.

“It gives me immense joy that there are only two of us from South Asia, myself and Neeraj bhai, who are performing on the world stage along with the other players who compete with Neeraj," said Arshad.

“At every competition, the aim of every athlete remains to try and perform to the best of their ability. I wish Neeraj the best of luck. May he and I both do well for our respective countries,” said Arshad when asked about the prospect of sharing the Olympic podium with India’s Neeraj Chopra.

Neeraj and Arshad have a long-standing rivalry that began in 2016 at the South Asian Games, where Neeraj won gold and Arshad won bronze.

They have shared the podium multiple times, most recently at the 2023 World Championships, with Neeraj winning gold and Arshad taking silver.

The men's javelin throw final will take place on August 8.