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Neeraj Chopra's coaching staff to go through a big change after his historic silver medal in the men's javelin final event at the Paris Olympics on August 9.
However, India's javelin hero couldn't defend his gold medal which he won in Tokyo Olympics. Neeraj's throw of 89.45 metres, a season's best, secured India's first medal of the 2024 Olympics. But Neeraj was outshone by Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, who claimed gold with a world record-breaking throw of 92.97m.
Neeraj Chopra's coaching staff to go through big change
Meanwhile, Sports Tak has learnt that Neeraj Chopra's coaching staff will undergo a massive revamp as his current coach Klaus Bartonietz won't be with him throughout the year. Klaus would work with Neeraj on for a few months a year. Notably, Neeraj and his team looking to upgrade his back room staff. Talking about Neeraj's current coach Klaus, he has been working with Neeraj since 2019. The Athletics Federation of India extended Klaus Bartonietz's contract as Neeraj Chopra's coach until the conclusion of the Paris Olympics. It was under his coaching, Neeraj stunned the world by winning gold medal in Tokyo and then doubled it up with a coveted silver in Paris. Klaus Bartonietz, a biomechanics expert, took over as Neeraj Chopra's coach in late 2019, succeeding the legendary Uwe Hohn. Under Bartonietz's guidance, Neeraj's throwing technique underwent significant refinements.
Neeraj Chopra's Silver-Winning Effort
Neeraj's achievement marked India's first medal of the 2024 Olympics and solidified Neeraj's status as the country's second individual male Olympic medalist after Sushil Kumar. Anticipated as India's leading medal hope, Neeraj faced stiff competition from Julian Weber, Anderson Peters, and the eventual gold medalist, Arshad Nadeem. The final began with an unexpected twist as Neeraj, Arshad, and Weber all recorded fouls on their first attempts. Arshad's first throw was particularly challenging, as he hesitated during his run-up before restarting.
Nadeem's Dominance and Neeraj's Struggle
Arshad Nadeem quickly turned the tables with his second attempt, producing a remarkable throw that surpassed the 90-metre mark. This early dominance put immense pressure on Neeraj Chopra, who managed to register a valid attempt on his second throw but followed it up with a foul.
After three rounds, the competition intensified as four athletes were eliminated. Neeraj found himself among the top eight, facing stiff competition from Jakub Vadlejch, Anderson Peters, Julius Yego, and Julian Weber. The fourth round saw a shift in momentum as Anderson Peters overtook Jakub Vadlejch to claim the lead with an impressive throw of 88.54 meters. Neeraj, eager to improve his position, unfortunately committed another foul. Arshad Nadeem, while maintaining his lead, opted for a more conservative throw of 79.40m to ensure he stayed within the competition.
The fifth round witnessed mixed results. Lassi Etelatalo and Keshorn Walcott struggled to improve their positions, while Julian Weber managed a respectable throw of 87.40 meters. Anderson Peters maintained his third-place standing with another solid attempt. Neeraj's frustrations continued as he recorded another foul, allowing Arshad Nadeem to solidify his lead with a throw of 84.87m.
The final round was a tense affair. With the medal positions largely determined, the focus shifted to improving individual standings. Neeraj's hopes of gold were dashed with yet another foul, securing his silver medal position. Arshad Nadeem, already assured of gold, delivered a final throw of 91.79 meters, a testament to his dominance in the event.
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