Gold eluded defending champion Neeraj Chopra as he signed off with a silver in the Olympics men’s javelin throw event, while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem ruled the field with a new Games record of 92.97m in Paris on Thursday (August 8).

The 26-year-old Chopra, who has never lost to Nadeem in their earlier 10 meetings, took the silver with his second-round throw of 89.45m. Three years ago, he won gold in Tokyo with a throw of 87.58m.

The season’s best effort was the Indian’s only legitimate throw of the evening.

Nadeem’s monster effort — sixth longest in history — also came in his second attempt which was like a bolt from the blue that stunned the Stade de France.

The earlier Olympic record stood at 90.57m, set by Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway during the 2008 Beijing Games. Nadeem also signed off in style with a closing throw of 91.79m.

Arshad Nadeem broke the Olympic record with a throw of 92.97m and took home the gold — the first individual Olympic gold medallist from Pakistan.

Neeraj is only the fourth Indian to win multiple Olympic medals since Independence, joining shuttler PV Sindhu (one silver, one bronze), wrestler Sushil Kumar (one silver, one bronze), and shooter Manu Bhaker (two bronze), who have won two Olympic medals each.