Neeraj Chopra aims for back-to-back historic gold medals at the Paris Olympics.

Paris [France], August 8 : Star Indian javelin thrower and World Championships gold medalist Neeraj Chopra is set to aim for a repeat of his Tokyo 2020 success to defend his title at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Thursday.

Chopra achieved an impressive throw of 89.34 meters in Group B of the men's javelin throw qualification round at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, securing his place in the finals.

The final will be held on Thursday at 11:55 pm IST. He successfully surpassed the qualification mark of 84.00 meters.

However, the competition will be tough, featuring athletes like Czech Republic's Jakub Vadlejch, the 2020 silver medalist, Julian Weber of Germany, the 2022 European Champion, and Grenada's two-time world champion Anderson Peters.

Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, one of Neeraj's closest rivals, also made it to the men's javelin final with his season-best throw of 86.59 meters. Arshad and Neeraj have developed a healthy rivalry over the years, with Neeraj leading their head-to-head record 9-0. However, Arshad's best throw of 90.18 meters in the 2022 Commonwealth Games surpasses Neeraj's top effort.

Chopra's first attempt during the qualification was his second-best throw ever in a men's javelin event, with his best throw being 89.94 meters at the 2022 Stockholm Diamond League. It was also the 26-year-old's best throw in any qualification round. Now, Neeraj aims to reach the much-anticipated distance of 90.00 meters in the final and retain his gold medal.

After his qualification throw, Chopra discussed the differences between competing in Tokyo 2020 and Paris this year, mentioning that defending his title motivates him.

Speaking on JioCinema, Neeraj said on Tuesday that he threw the javelin in the sunshine in Tokyo, but it is much cooler and less humid in Paris.

"In Tokyo, we threw in the sunshine, and here it's cooler with less humidity. Tokyo was much warmer and more humid than Paris. The big difference is that there are crowds here," said Neeraj.

On the challenge of defending his title, Neeraj stated: "Being the defending champion is motivating, and I need to be prepared. The mind should be focused on doing the job at hand."

Reflecting on his qualification throw, Neeraj said that although his throw was good, the final is the "real deal."

"The final will be exciting; the Tokyo final mark has already been surpassed in the qualification. We were a little relaxed today. The burden and pressure will be much more in the final," he added.

Chopra also addressed his injury concerns, stating: "I have had a few issues with my groin, which is why I did not participate in many competitions. It is important to stay fit and reach the final."

Ahead of the final, Neeraj's mother, Saroj, told , "The preparations are going very well. He has worked very hard. We are hoping for gold. We are all happy."

#WATCH | Paris Olympics 2024 | Defending champion Neeraj Chopra to compete in the men's javelin throw final today

In Haryana's Panipat, Neeraj Chopra's mother Saroj Devi says, "The preparations are going very well. He has worked very hard, We are hoping for gold"

Neeraj Chopra's father, Satish Kumar says, "We are all very excited. Neeraj will give his best to live up to the expectations. Everyone in the village is happy and waiting for his match..."

Chopra won the gold medal in the men's javelin throw at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2024 athletics meet in Turku, Finland, earlier in June.

He recorded a throw of 85.97 meters on his third attempt to clinch the top spot.

Neeraj Chopra, the reigning world and Olympic champion, competed in his third event of the year.

On the road to defending his title at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Neeraj began his season with a second-place finish at the Doha Diamond League on May 10 with an 88.36-meter throw.

He then recorded a modest 82.27 meters to win the gold medal at the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar five days later. It was his first competition in India since becoming an Olympic champion.

Neeraj was scheduled to compete at the Ostrava Golden Spike athletics meet in Czechia in late May but did not participate as a precaution after a muscle tweak during training.