11th day of the Paris Olympics 2024 live updates: On his very first attempt in the qualification round in Paris on Tuesday, reigning champion Neeraj Chopra cranked on the style as he blasted into the men’s javelin throw final of the Olympic Games with a season’s best performance of 89.34m.
The 26-year-old won the top spot in Group B with his first throw, surpassing the automatic qualifying standard of 84 meters, much like his performance in the qualifying round of the Tokyo Olympics.
Conversely, veteran Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat advanced to the Olympic semifinals for the first time in the 50kg division after achieving incredible wins over higher-ranked Ukrainian Oksana Livach and reigning champion Yui Susaki of Japan.
In a fierce quarterfinal match, the 29-year-old Vinesh upset Livach, a former European champion and bronze medallist in the 2018 world tournament, 7-5, to move one step closer to the elusive Olympic medal on her third try.
This came after she shocked four-time world champion and current gold medallist Yui Susaki of Japan on points in the pre-quarterfinals of the wrestling competition, causing the biggest upset of the 2016 Games.
Vinesh will compete against Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba later in the evening in the last-four round. A defeat will send her into the bronze medal playoff, while a victory will guarantee her at least a silver.
Highlights of the Paris Olympics javelin qualifying
He arrived, hurled, and overcame. Neeraj Chopra, with the weight of the country on his shoulders, began his title defence on Tuesday in the men’s javelin qualification round of the Paris Olympics 2024 with a huge throw. During the qualifying round, Chopra led Group B and set a personal best with his first throw of 89.34 meters. The golden kid of India has advanced to the men’s javelin final.
At the Doha Diamond League, the current Olympic and world champion landed in Paris with a season-best throw of 88.36 meters. With a breathtaking throw of 89.94 meters at the Stockholm Diamond League back in 2022, Neeraj broke the national record. The outstanding javelin thrower, who won an Olympic gold medal for India, has twice thrown a spear below the 85-meter threshold.
Here is everything you need to know about the men’s javelin competition at the Olympics in Paris:
- Neeraj Chopra, the defending champion, qualified for the final from Group B with a personal best throw of 89.34 meters.
- Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan advanced to the finals with a throw of 86.59 meters in Group B.
- Kishore Jena of India completed his qualifying round with his third throw (80.21).
- Kenya’s Julius Yego (85.97m) was the third athlete from Group A to make it to the final.
- His second throw was fouled by Jena.
- Jakub Vadlejch threw 85.63 to qualify for the javelin final.
- In the qualification round, Julien Weber threw the best throw (87.76) for Group A.
- Kishore made his first try to break 80 meters (80.73).
- There were thirty-two competitors in Groups A and B.
- Twelve participants advanced to the Olympic men’s javelin final in Paris.