New Delhi: Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra has mentioned about his rivalry with Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch ahead of the Paris Olympics with the men’s javelin throw event to kick start in just a few days ahead of fortnight.
Neeraj won a historic gold medal for India with a powering throw of 87.58m, a first individual medal in any of the track and field disciplines, at Tokyo. Vadlejch finished second in that event with a distance of 86.67m to bag the silver home.
The two athletes have went on neck and neck against each other in several global competitions since 2017, having competed in a total of 20 events, involving one Olympics (2021) and two World Championships (2022 & 2023). Although Chopra has an edge in this rivalry with 11 times leading against the Czech track and field star athlete, Vadlejch has got the better of his 26-year-old rival on successive occasions, including in their last meeting at the Diamond League in Doha.
Vadlejch secured the first position in the competition with a 88.38m throw, cruising to victory by the merest distance of 0.02m against the Indian star javelin thrower (88.36m). This was an indication from the Czechian that Chopra won’t have a cakewalk to defend his gold at Paris in August.
“When I finished 2 cm behind in Doha, he told me this was revenge for the last time! (Tokyo Olympics). The last time we competed together at the Diamond League in Doha, I won the competition with a throw of 88.67 and he had 88.63m. The margin was very fine. I’ve beaten him at the last Olympics and the World Championships as well. So that’s why he said that. Such competition is healthy,” Neeraj told Sportstar.
Neeraj Chopra explains difference of Tokyo and Paris
Neeraj has won all the major titles with the spear in his hand over the last four years. He has bagged an Olympics gold in Tokyo in 2021, World Championship gold in Budapest in 2023, won Diamond League title in 2023, and defended his Asian Games gold in Hangzhou last year.
Neeraj Chopra will be the favourite from India to finish at the podium based on his consistency over the recent events and his ability to manage his injuries with the selection of tournaments. Speaking the difference on having no expectations in Tokyo and then being the defending champions at Paris this year, Chopra said:
“At that Olympics (in Tokyo), (Johannes) Vetter was the favourite. I admit that there was more attention on the other athletes. I was focussed on myself, but I was under much less pressure because it was my first Olympics.”
“This time, it’s different because I’ll be defending my title. I got a little experience of what that’s like at last year’s Asian Games [Hangzhou], where I had to defend my title from 2018. However, I can’t compare that to the Olympics. The fact is that there will be extra expectations from me. It will be more than it was last time. It’s impossible to call it anything other than pressure.”
Neeraj’s event is scheduled to start on August 6. He will first have to qualify in the qualifiers of the men’s javelin event to reach the final on August 8, where he will get the chance to defend his gold.
Neeraj won a historic gold medal for India with a powering throw of 87.58m, a first individual medal in any of the track and field disciplines, at Tokyo. Vadlejch finished second in that event with a distance of 86.67m to bag the silver home. Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
