"Proving yet again that his spirit to win is as unbreakable as his javelin’s flight" - Cricketers react to Neeraj Chopra's consecutive Olympic medals

Ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra bagged India's first silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday, August 8. He is the first Indian to win two consecutive Olympic medals in athletics.

Neeraj, who won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was touted to defend his crown in Paris. His form throughout the season also bodes well for India to bring home the glory.

However, he was stunned by Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem who bagged gold with a gigantic 92.97-meter throw - an Olympic record. Neeraj took home the silver with an 89.45-meter throw. Grenada's Anderson Peters bagged the bronze with an 88.54-meter throw.

Despite missing out on gold, fans across the globe were extremely happy with Neeraj Chopra's achievement. Indian cricketers, including Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh, took to X to laud the ace javelin thrower.

"Proving yet again that his spirit to win is as unbreakable as his javelin’s flight," Yuvraj wrote. "You have not only won a historic silver medal but have also brought a golden moment for every Indian heart."

"Here’s to the champion who reminds us all that even in silver, there lies a golden journey of perseverance and pride. Congratulations @Neeraj_chopra1 medal. Heartiest congratulations to #ArshadNadeem as well - for scripting history with an incredible 92.97m throw and breaking the #Olympic record!" he added.

"Congratulations #NeerajChopra on winning the silver medal at the #ParisOlympics. Amazing effort to win two back to back olympic medals," VVS Laxman wrote.

"Congrats @Neeraj_chopra1 on another stupendous Olympic effort. Doubling your medal tally and making the flag fly high," Dinesh Karthik wrote on X.

"@Neeraj_chopra, you might have claimed silver this time, but your heart and determination are solid gold. Congratulations on yet another remarkable achievement at #Paris2024. Your story continues to inspire millions, filling India with pride every time!" Mithali Raj wrote.

"Congratulations to Neeraj Chopra for clinching the silver medal at the Olympics. Your perseverance and passion continue to inspire the nation. You've shown once again that there are no limits to achieving dreams through hard work and dedication," Mohammed Shami wrote.

"The icon never returns without bringing joy to every Indian!" India's head coach Gautam Gambhir wrote.

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"He was better than I was at night" - Neeraj Chopra congratulates Arshad Nadeem on winning gold

Neeraj Chopra congratulated Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem who became the first athlete from his country to win an Olympic gold medal. The two share a good mutual respect for one other and have hailed each other many times in front of the media.

Speaking on the sidelines after the javelin throw final, Neeraj stated (via Hindustan Times):

"I have been competing against Arshad since 2016, but this is the first time I have lost to him. But credit where credit is due, Arshad has worked really hard, and he was better than I was at night. Congratulations to him."

Do you think Neeraj Chopra is India's best-ever athlete? Let us know in the comments.