Neeraj Chopra entered the final of the javelin competition at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, and so did Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. And the duo are ready for the IND vs PAK showdown, with lots at stake on August 8. Neeraj reached the final with a massive throw of 89.34m, while his Pakistani rival managed a little over 86m.
Now with just a day to go, Arshad has wished the Tokyo 2020 gold medalist, all the best. The Pakistan athlete too will be in contention, having proved his worth at the World Championships, where he won a silver medal. Plus, it will be a golden opportunity for two Asians to be on the podium, together at Olympics.
“It gives me immense joy that there are only two of us from South Asia, myself and Neeraj bhai, who are performing on the world stage along with the other players who compete with Neeraj,” Arshad was quoted as saying by Olympics.com.
“I hope that we continue to perform for our respective countries and make the names of our countries shine bright globally.”
Arshad Nadeem Wishes Neeraj Chopra Well
Arshad went on to say the friendship and mutual respect they have for each other. “At every competition, the aim of every athlete remains to try and perform to the best of their ability. I wish Neeraj the best of luck. May he and I both do well for our respective countries,” said Nadeem.
On being asked if he met Neeraj Chopra at the Games Village, he replied in the affirmative. “Yes, we have met each other a few times there. We have a bit of a chat every time we meet.
“And we spoke just now as well, and he said congratulations to me after the qualification. Usually, we speak about things that friends talk about. The usual stuff. And we wish each other that we do well for our respective countries,” he added.