'GOLD medal for consistency': Nita Ambani, Anand Mahindra extol Neeraj Chopra for Paris Olympics 2024 show

The Men's Javelin final match in Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday was a somewhat bittersweet moment for India as Indian javelin ace Neeraj Chopra won the silver medal with a throw of 89.45 metres. In this match, Chopra was trounced by his Pakistani rival Arshad Nadeem, who broke the Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 metres. 

Even as Neeraj Chopra wasn't elated with his Thursday performance, Indians were happy with the javelin ace's consistency. From the world of business, Reliance Foundation founder-chairperson Nita Ambani, Mahindra Group boss Anand Mahindra, and Shark Tank India Season 3 judge Radhika Gupta were among the first ones to back Chopra. 

Nita Ambani extolled Chopra's achievement and said that his story from the Shivaji Stadium in Haryana's Panipat to the Stade de France in Paris is a "beacon of hope and inspiration for every athlete and for all of us."

Mahindra started his post by congratulating Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem for striking the gold as well as his sportsmanship and camaraderie with Neeraj. Further, he said that Neeraj Chopra won a "GOLD medal for consistency". 

"He didn't fumble, get fouled out or get flustered. He quietly made his best throw of the season. And brought home a back to back medal and India's first silver," the Mahindra Group chief said. 

Radhika Gupta, Edelweiss Mutual Fund MD and CEO as well as Shark Tank India judge, said that athletes like Neeraj Chopra make Indians dream about winning gold every time on the highest global stage in sporting. "That consistency, that attitude, that pursuit of excellence in itself is golden. We all need much more of it. Congrats champion," she said. 

Not only this, who's who from the sports world also hailed Neeraj Chopra's feat at the Olympics.

Calling the javelin champion's journey "nothing short of a hero's tale," five-time Olympian Abhinav Bindra said in his post: "Winning silver, you’ve shown us that the pursuit of greatness is a relentless journey, one filled with passion, dedication, and belief. Thank you for inspiring every Indian to dream big and reminding us that gold is always within reach. Your legacy grows stronger with every step." 

He also congratulated Arshad Nadeem for breaking the Olympic record. Fast bowler Mohammad Shami and BCCI secretary Jay Shah also praised Neeraj Chopra for his phenomenal achievement at the Olympics. 

Arshad Nadeem's throw made him the fourth athlete in the history of Olympics to cross the 90-metre mark in men's javelin. Besides Arshad Nadeem, the Olympians who have thrown beyond 90 metres are Czechia's Jan Zelezny (90.17m in 2000), Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen (90.57m in 2008), and Germany's Thomas Rohler (90.30m in 2016).