Javelin champ Neeraj Chopra defends title, but AFI to protest after official’s error saw his first throw not accounted for; men’s 4x400m relay team break national record for first place
Javelin throw gold and silver medallists Neeraj Chopra (centre) and Kishore Jena (second from left) celebrate with the gold medal-winning men’s 4x400m relay team’s Muhammad Anas, Muhammad Ajmal and Rajesh Ramesh (right) yesterday
It was a relay of gold medals for Team India as first, javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra defended his title and minutes later, the men’s 4x400m relay team bagged first place on the final day of the athletics competition at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre on Wednesday.
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While Chopra’s 88.88m gold medal-winning throw was his season’s best, the men’s quartet of Muhammad Anas, Amoj Jacob, Muhammad Ajmal and Rajesh Ramesh set a new national record with their timing of 3:01.58. But all this was after a drama-filled javelin final that saw Chopra throwing seven times instead of the stipulated six because of an error by the field officials.
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India’s silver medal-winning women’s 4x400m relay team of Vithya Ramraj, Prachi, Subha Venkatesan and Aishwarya Kailash Mishra in Hangzhou yesterday
“When I did my first throw, it looked good, but they told me that they did not measure it. I was surprised, but while I was questioning them, the second athlete already threw, and they lost my mark [spot where the throw landed]. The officials then said that all they could do was let me throw again. I did not want to hold up play for the other athletes as it was getting windy and their bodies would cool down, so I continued,” Chopra said later.
Chopra’s unaccounted for throw was clearly over 87m. His next throw, which was officially his first, was 82.38m followed by 84.49m and a foul throw in the third. Meanwhile, compatriot Kishore Jena surprised everyone by going past Chopra with 86.67m in his third throw. The World and Olympic champion however, ensured normalcy was restored when he threw his spear across 88.88m in his fourth attempt. Jena meanwhile, bettered his previous throw with 87.54m—a new personal best—to win the silver medal.
Conspiracy against Indians?
Athletics Federation of India (AFI) Vice President and former long jumper Anju Bobby George was furious after the Chopra episode and claimed it was a conspiracy against Indian athletes by Chinese officials.
India’s Harmilan Bains with her 800m silver medal yesterday. Pics/PTI
“Before Neeraj this also happened to Jyothi Yarraji [in the 100m hurdles final] where she was wrongly disqualified and then allowed to race. Even one of Jena’s throws today was called a foul before Neeraj intervened and they rectified it. This morning with one of our race walkers too there was an error by the officials. Yesterday too, they did not measure javelin thrower Annu Rani’s first throw. They are trying to cheat us. They are targeting Indian athletes in particular. That’s why it is so difficult for us to win in China. We will lodge a protest about this with the Games organisers,” fumed Anju.
Neeraj also admitted that such errors can disturb athletes. “This has happened with me, Jena and Jyothi so there is something wrong. I haven’t seen anything like this in any major competition before. Athletes can get mentally down, even Jyothi was affected. Yet, we have shown how hard we’ve worked and won medals,” said Chopra.
Medal tally touches 81
Meanwhile, India bagged two more silver medals on the track. Harmilan Bains clocked 2:03.75 in the women’s 800m after which the 4x400m women’s relay quartet of Vithya Ramraj, Aishwarya Mishra, Prachi and Subha Venkatesan clocked a new national record of 3:27.85 as Team India’s medal tally here touched 81 (18 gold, 31 silver, 32 bronze) comfortably overtaking their 2018 Jakarta Asiad show of 70 medals (16 gold, 23 silver, 31 bronze).
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