Legendary para-athlete Devendra Jhajharia has expressed confidence that star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is on the verge of breaking the elusive 90-meter barrier. Jhajharia, a double Paralympic gold medalist in the F46 category, predicts that Chopra will achieve this feat within the next one or two years, reaching a distance of 93 meters.
Chopra, who recently won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a throw of 89.45m, is currently struggling to breach the 90-meter mark. He finished second again in the Lausanne Diamond League, throwing 89.49m, behind Anderson Peters of Grenada who recorded a monstrous 90.61m.
Jhajharia, drawing upon his own experience in javelin throw, emphasizes that breaking a barrier in this sport is not achieved by a mere centimeter or two. He stated, “When a barrier is broken it does not break by just a mere meter or so, but by 3 to 4 meters.” He is confident that Chopra, when he does surpass 90 meters, will do so by a significant margin, exceeding the mark by 3 to 4 meters.
Jhajharia, who was elected as the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) president in March, believes Chopra is at the peak of his career and will continue to improve in the coming years. “Age is in his favor, 26 is no age and I am hoping that he will be at his peak when he is 28 or 29. By then, he will do his best.” He praises Chopra’s discipline and dedication, having observed this firsthand during their joint training in Finland in 2022.
Chopra’s recent performances have sparked discussions about his potential to break the 90-meter barrier. His consistent performance and dedication, coupled with Jhajharia’s prediction, add further fuel to this speculation. It remains to be seen if Chopra can break the barrier and live up to Jhajharia’s prediction, but one thing is certain, the javelin world is eagerly watching as Chopra prepares for the next chapter in his impressive career.
