India’s star Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra’s mother Saroj Devi opened up after Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem made history by winning the Olympic gold in the Javelin Throw Final on Thursday saying he is “like my son”.
Arshad launched a throw of 92.97 meters in his second attempt which was enough for him to secure the gold medal. The Pakistani also broke the Olympic record, which was previously held by Andreas Thorkildsen of Denmark (90.57m in Beijing 2008).
He also became Pakistan's first Olympic medal winner since Barcelona in 1992 and ended the night with another gigantic 91.79m throw on his final attempt.
That was the first-ever individual gold medal in the Olympics for Pakistan, maiden in athletics and first gold in any discipline in the last 40 years.
Meanwhile, India's Neeraj Chopra, who was defending his gold, made a throw of 89.45 and bagged the silver medal. Grenada's Anderson Peters fetched the bronze medal with a throw of 88.54m.
Talking after the event, Devi talked to the Press Trust of India (PTI) where she stated that she is happy with Neeraj’s silver medal before calling Arshad Nadeem “like my son”.
“I am happy with the silver, the guy who got gold (Arshad Nadeem) is also my child. Everyone goes there after doing a lot of hard work,” Neeraj Chopra’s mother Saroj Devi said.
Athletes' Best Throw at Javelin Throw Final
1- Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan) — 92.97m
2 - Neeraj Chopra (India) — 89.45m
3- Anderson Peters (Grenada) — 88.54
4 - Jakub Vadlech (Czech Republic) — 88.50
5 - Julius Yego (Kenya) — 87.72
6- Julian Weber (Germany) — 87.40
7- Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago) — 86.16
8 - Lassi Etelatalo (Finland) — 84.58
9 - Oliver Etelatalo (Finland) — 82.68
10- Toni Keranen (Finland) — 80.92
11 - Luiz Mauricio (Brazil) —80.67
12. Andrian Mardare (Moldova) — 80.10
