Neeraj qualifies for 2024 Olympics, enters WC final with 88.77m throw

BUDAPEST: Neeraj Chopra on Friday qualified for the 2024 Olympics with a big throw of 88.77m in his first attempt, which also took him to the final of the javelin throw competition at the World Championships here.

The 25-year-old Chopra’s qualifying round lasted just a few minutes as he sent the spear to his season’s and fourth career-best distance. He was competing in Group A qualification round.

The 2024 Paris Olympics qualifying mark is 85.50m. The qualifying window began on July 1.

Tokyo Olympics champion Chopra has a personal best 89.94, which he had achieved at the Stockholm Diamond League on June 30, 2022.

Those who throw 83m or the top-12 best performers from both Group A and B qualify for the final round to be held on Sunday.