What Are India's Javelin Throw Medal Prospects At The 2024 Summer Olympics?

In sports such as Javelin throw and Shooting games, countries win quotas rather than individual athletes. This means the athlete who secured the quota can be substituted by another athlete leading up to the Games. As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority to choose athletes who represent their respective countries at the Summer Olympic Games 2024, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at the Paris Olympics 2024. For now, only two athletes have qualified and will be participating in the Javelin throw events at the Paris Olympics. They are Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Kumar Jena. Asian Games silver medalist Kishore Jena is set to compete against Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra with hopes of winning a medal at the Paris Olympics. In this blog, we take a look at India's Javelin throw medal prospects at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

All about Indian Javelin throw medal prospects at the 2024 Summer Olympics

1. Defending Olympic Javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra all set to take Indian Javelin forward

The reigning Olympic Javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra has encountered a minor setback after participating in two events at the beginning of his 2024 season. He came in second place in the Doha Diamond League and emerged as the winner in the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar, where he didn't have to push himself to the limit. Neeraj has withdrawn from the Ostrava Golden Spike event on May 28 due to concerns about his adductor, which he injured during training. He emphasized that he isn't seriously injured and has withdrawn as a precaution to avoid any risks in an Olympic year. However, in a massive relief for Indian fans, Neeraj Chopra is recovering well and is all set to take the Indian Javelin forward.

Talking about the Olympics news, one cannot forget the moment the final throw was taken at the men's Javelin throw event in the Tokyo Olympics. Neeraj Chopra secured his place in the history books once again, clinching the gold medal in Tokyo with a throw measuring 87.58m, making him the first Indian track and field athlete to achieve this feat at the Olympics. Before Neeraj Chopra's outstanding performance in Tokyo, India's track record in athletics at the Summer Olympics was marked by heartbreaking near-misses. Milkha Singh and PT Usha narrowly missed out on podium finishes at Rome 1960 and Los Angeles 1984, respectively, falling short by a fraction of a second. Neeraj Chopra's gold medal in Tokyo marked a new era for Indian athletics. It was India's second Olympic gold, following shooter Abhinav Bindra's 10m air rifle triumph in Beijing 2008.

Neeraj Chopra's Javelin throw records

2. Kishore Kumar Jena - Odisha's Javelin Throw hero all set for Olympic debut

Asian Games silver medalist Kishore Kumar Jena is set to compete against Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra with hopes of winning a medal at the Paris Olympics. Kishore Jena believes that every day presents a new learning opportunity and that he has gained valuable experience from competing with world and Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra. Odisha's Kishore Jena, who participated in the National Federation Senior Athletics Championship, stated that India would be well represented at the 2024 Summer Olympics, with three athletes expected to compete in men's javelin throw.

In the era of Neeraj Chopra, it's shocking to imagine another Indian javelin thrower grabbing the spotlight, but Odisha's Kishore Jena accomplished just that at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. Although Kishore Jena eventually won a silver medal behind compatriot Chopra in Hangzhou, the man from the coastal town of Puri gave his more accomplished countryman, the reigning Olympic and world champion, stiff competition for the top spot. The Indian fans are all excited to see Odisha's Javelin Throw hero all set for his debut in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

3. Manu DP is in line to join Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena at Paris Olympics 2024

Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena, who achieved a historic gold-silver finish at the Hangzhou Asian Games, have both earned spots for the upcoming Summer Olympics in July-August. However, Neeraj Chopra, the poster boy of Indian athletics, is confident that another javelin thrower, Manu DP, should also qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Manu DP has not yet achieved the 2024 Olympic qualifying standard of 85.50m but is currently in the 11th position in the Road to Paris rankings, making a solid case for qualification alongside Chopra and Jena.

India has a really good chance of winning Olympic medals in Javelin throw events. A mind-boggling total of 10,500 athletes from 206 NOCs and a Refugee Olympic Team will compete at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. With 68 days left before the start of the Olympic Athletics events, there couldn't be a better day to look at the Indian contingent. Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra will be one of the Olympic torch bearers of the Paris Olympics 2024. Indian Javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra will be defending his title at the Paris Olympics and will be entering the global competition as one of the greatest Olympic gold medalist in India, which is a huge stature at this moment.