Neeraj Chopra’s mother on Arshad Nadeem’s Paris Olympics win: He is also our boy, we’re happy

Neeraj Chopra’s mother Saroj said she is happy with her son’s silver medal win and even congratulated Arshad Nadeem for his maiden Olympic gold in Paris.

File photo | Neeraj Chopra with parents Satish and Saroj after his Tokyo Olympics triumph | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR / The Hindu

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem beat India’s Neeraj Chopra to clinch his maiden Olympic gold in the Paris 2024 Olympics on Thursday.

Arshad registered a monstrous 92.97m throw on his second attempt to seal the final in his favour. Neeraj, who managed a best distance of 89.45m in his second and only legal attempt but could not match up with Nadeem. The Pakistani athlete finished his performance with a celebratory 91.79m throw in his final attempt.

In Khandra vilage in Panipat — Neeraj’s hometown — celebrations were on in full swing, with Neeraj having won his second consecutive Olympic medal.

“We’re very happy. This silver is as good as gold for us,” Saroj Chopra, Neeraj’s mother told ANI. “The boy who got gold (Nadeem), he is also our boy. Everyone works very hard to go there.”

#WATCH | Haryana: On Neeraj Chopra winning a silver medal in men's javelin throw at #ParisOlympics2024, his mother Saroj Devi says, "We are very happy, for us silver is also equal to gold...he was injured, so we are happy with his performance..." pic.twitter.com/6VxfMZD0rF

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2024

She brushed aside any disappointment of Neeraj missing gold.

“No problem at all. This is all normal for these athletes. We’re very happy. We will make his favourite food when he comes back,” she added.

Neeraj’s grandfather Dharm Singh Chopra also expressed his joy.

“He has given his best performance and won silver, adding one more medal to the country...”