Pakistani Javelin Thrower Arshad Nadeem Who Finished Fifth In Tokyo, Did THIS To Neeraj Chopra's Javelin In The Final Contest

A new story has emerged about Tokyo Gold medalist javelin Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra's final throw at the Tokyo Olympic Games, where he emerged victorious to be at the top of the podium. Chopra himself has broken the story.

Apparently, in the final event in Tokyo, Chopra was unable to locate his javelin before his throw. He was searching for the javelin, when he found his javelin in the hands of competitor and Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem.

Incidentally, Nadeem started as a cricket player before he went on to pick the javelin in Pakistan.

Chopra broke this to the Times of India in an interview. He has been quoted as saying in a DNA report: "The story is that I was searching for my javelin at the start of the final. I was not able to find it. Suddenly I saw Arshad Nadeem was moving around with my javelin. Then I told him, 'Bhai give this javelin to me, it is my javelin! I have to throw with it'. Then he gave it back to me."

Twitter users commented on the moment. One of them has shared a video clip that seems to catch the moment Chopra took away his javelin from Arshad Nadeem and more.

In the video clip, Chopra seems to make a move towards his javelin quickly, and he then checks its bottom tip that eventually would go on to pierce the Tokyo grounds for that historic performance.

Interestingly, it was this throw—ranging 87.58m—that made Chopra etch his victory, ending India's 100-year wait for a gold in the track and field event.

"That's why you must have seen I took my first throw hurriedly! Arshad Nadeem gave a really good performance in the qualifying round as well as the final. I think it is good for Pakistan, they have a chance to show more interest in the javelin and do well at the international stage in the future," Chopra has been quoted as adding. It all seems to confirm what's visible in the video clip.

Chopra visibly makes a hurried walk towards the pit for the run and throw and seems to keep his composure.

Arshad Nadeem finished a distant fifth.

Chopra shared the podium with two athletes from the Czech Republic. Jakub Vadlejch (86.67m) and Vitezslav Vesely (85.44m)—who took the silver and bronze.

The happiness and celebration around Chopra's historic throw and achievement hasn't subsided. The Athletics Federation of India has come with a poster showing Chopra as a warrior.

From how Neeraj Chopra handled the act from Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem before that one throw that mattered to his own performance in Tokyo, he does come across as a warrior.