It’s going to be down to Neeraj Chopra once again isn’t it?
When he strides into the Stade de France on Thursday (August 8, 2024), it will take the talismanic spear thrower’s broad shoulders to wrest an Olympic campaign that began promisingly but now seems mired in despair back to confidence. So far, he’s done little that makes it seem the burden is too heavy for him to carry.
The 24-year-old will go into the final as the reigning Olympic champion. He’s also the defending world champion.
Biggest throw
He also goes into the summit clash with the biggest throw in the qualification round (89.34m). It’s his best throw of the season and over the last couple of years. He achieved it in his very first attempt and looks like he’s more than capable of doing more.
None of this will matter in the final though.
“There’s no comparison between the qualifying and final rounds. There is a difference in mentality. There is a difference in conditions,” he said.
Conditions predict big throws. The track is fast. There’s no cross breeze either.
Neeraj knows he will have to be at his best. He might have an Olympic title. None of the other 11 finalists do. They are all hungry to get that gold medal as well.
The contenders
Not all of them will be counted as contenders of course. The threat is likely to come from four others — European champion Julian Weber (87.76m in qualifying), Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch (85.63m), World silver medallist Arshad Nadeem, (86.59m) and two-time world champion Anderson Peters (88.63m).
Neeraj knows the competition is likely to be fierce. Although he is the Olympic and world champion, he also knows he’s not unbeatable.
The Indian has competed thrice this year — his season opener at the Doha Diamond League, at the Federation Cup in Bhubaneshwar, the Paavo Nuurmi Games in Finland.
He was beaten by Vadlejch in Doha — a win that the Czech considered as revenge for previous losses. But there are other throwers out for revenge too.
Pakistan’s Arshad is there. He calls Neeraj with the honorific bhai and finished behind him at the World Championships. But he’s throwing as effortlessly as ever and will surely want to earn his own place in the spotlight.
There’s Peters too. The Grenadian is smarting after being denied a third world gold in Budapest a year ago.
In his warm up ahead of the qualifying round, dressed in his track pants and jackets, he threw what looked like a near 90m throw.
Can’t forget Weber either, the sole German in the Olympic final. He’s carrying a proud tradition of throwing with him. He’s finished just outside the podium at the last couple of Worlds and the Tokyo Olympics. Surely he won’t be denied another time.
That’s just what Neeraj will be expected to do. There are a number of claimants to his throne. He must push his way out to the front.
