Asian Games 2023: Neeraj Chopra retakes first throw after confusion and chaos in men’s javelin final

India’s Neeraj Chopra was caught in a weird situation in the Asian Games 2023. Chopra, while participating in the men’s javelin throw final, saw his first throw getting wiped off the system. Chopra had walked back into the rest area after a legal attempt.

He waited for his distance to reflect on the board but despite giving it several minutes, it did not come through. Neeraj walked up to the referees while the event was halted for a brief moment. India’s javelin star stood confused as the referees tried to explain what had happened. After several minutes of deliberation, Neeraj was asked to take a fresh throw once it was confirmed that the equipment had failed to calculate the distance of his throw.

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Neeraj, on his fresh first attempt, hit 82.38m and then 84.49m on his second throw.

This was not the only glitch that happened in the men’s javelin event. India’s second athlete in the event – Kishore Jena’s second attempt was called a foul, despite him not touching the line. Jena stared at the umpires as well and later his throw was marked as a legal attempt.

In the year 2023, Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra showcased commendable performances in both the Diamond League and the World Athletics Championships.

At the Diamond League 2023, held in Eugene, Oregon, Chopra secured the second position in the men’s javelin throw event. His best throw was recorded at 83.80 meters, which he achieved on a Saturday. Despite his impressive performance, he fell short of defending his title from the previous year when he became the first Indian to win a Diamond League Trophy. The trophy for the 2023 Diamond League was clinched by Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic, who registered the best throw of 84.24 meters.

Chopra’s performance in the Zurich Diamond League, held on August 31, 2023, was also noteworthy. He finished second with a throw of 85.71 meters, just behind Vadlejch’s winning throw of 85.86 meters. Despite not securing the top spot, Chopra’s efforts were lauded as he had recently been crowned the world champion.

In the World Athletics Championships 2023, held in Budapest, Chopra made history by becoming the first-ever Indian world champion. He won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event with an outstanding throw of 88.17 meters. This achievement marked a significant milestone in Chopra’s career and in Indian athletics.