Two nations, two athletes, two mothers but one sentiment. A generosity of spirit was on display as the mothers of javelin throwers Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem’s mothers praised the performance of each other’s sons.
India’s sensational javelin throw star Neeraj’s mother, Saroj Devi, opened up about his son delivering at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024, where he clinched the silver medal and ended up in the second position at the javelin throw event.
Neeraj Chopra’s Mother Praised Arshad Nadeem’s Performance
Neeraj Chopra, India’s very own golden boy, finished behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who created an Olympic record-shattering throw of 92.97m to become the first individual Olympic gold medalist from his country. Neeraj fell short of retaining his gold medal, finishing with a best throw of 89.45 meters. Despite his strong start on the second attempt, Neeraj struggled with four foul throws, which prevented him from winning the gold medal. Chopra had won gold in Tokyo with a throw of 87.58m three years ago.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Chopra’s mother, Saroj Devi, was happy with the way his son delivered at the Paris Olympics and pointed out that she was eager to cook her son’s favorite meal upon his return.
Saroj Dev also praised Arshad Nadeem’s performance, adding that he is also like their “son”. She said: “We are very happy. For us, silver is also equal to gold. The one who got the gold (Arshad) is also like our son,” Soroj Devi told ANI.
She added: “He (Neeraj Chopra) was injured, so we are happy with his performance. I will cook his favorite food.”
Arshad Nadeem’s Mother Praised Neeraj Chopra’s Performance
Talking about Pakistan’s Nadeem, he managed to set a new Olympic record for his country’s maiden individual gold at the showpiece event, with a record 92.97m in his second attempt to set the bar too high for the rest of the athletes. Earlier the Olympic record stood at 90.57m in the name of Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway, set during the 2008 Beijing Games.
After her son’s grad achievement, Nadeem’s mother echoed the same sentiments, saying she sees Neeraj the same way as she sees her son. In an interview, Arshad’s mother said:
“He is also like my son. He is Nadeem’s friend and also his brother. Wins and losses are part of the sport. May god bless him, may he win medals. They are like brothers, I’ve prayed for Neeraj too.”
She added: “I am thankful to entire Pakistan for the support they lent to Nadeem, the prayers they offered for my son.”
It has to be noted that both Arshad and Neeraj Chopra are great friends off the field despite being rivals on it. In fact, Neeraj has supported Arshad on multiple occasions.
Watch the video:
"If mothers ran the world, there would be no hate, no wars. #ArshadNadeem's mother: 'Neeraj Chopra is like a son to me. I prayed for him too.' (courtesy indyurdu) #NeerajChopra's mother: 'We're happy with silver. The one who won gold (Arshad Nadeem) is also my child.'"… pic.twitter.com/IWM78tCwpI
— PTI GOJRA (@PTI_Gojra) August 9, 2024
