'I want to set an example for other Indian athletes': Neeraj Chopra

India's javelin hero Neeraj Chopra underlined his claim as the favourite with a single throw on Tuesday, launching his Olympic title defence with 89.34 metres in qualification.

He delivered India's first athletics gold three years ago and looked ready to bring home more hardware with the farthest throw of the day and his best of the season.

"It was a good throw. Maybe the biggest ever in qualifying for me. All the throwers look in good shape," he said.

"I know I have not reached my peak. I am not yet as good as I would like to be technically or in distance, so I want to improve and throw further. And I want to set an example for other Indian athletes so that we can compete here with the best."

Grenadian Anderson Peters was second in their Group B with 88.63 on one attempt and hopes to dismantle Chopra to add Olympic gold to his 2022 and 2019 world championship titles.

Pakistan's world silver medallist Arshad Nadeem (86.59) was also among the 12 best performers to move on to Thursday's medal round.

German Julian Weber endured fourth-place heartbreak in Tokyo and again at the two most recent worlds but was ready to fight again for the podium as he reached 87.76 on his lone attempt to finish at the top of Group A.

"It would mean everything to me (to win a medal). It's my biggest dream," he told reporters. "I will go all in on Thursday and hopefully I get one."

Kenyan Julius Yeo, the silver medallist in 2016, stepped awkwardly on his approach and crashed to the ground as he hurled the javelin 85.97 to reach the final on his last attempt.

Czech Jakub Vadlejch, silver medallist in Tokyo, also moved on with 85.63.

 "I try to be good in the first attempt..."

"I try to be good in the first attempt but it doesn't always happen," Chopra said, making it clear that he was in as much hurry to wind up the media interaction as well.   

"The faster we do it (interaction), the better for my rest," he said.

Chopra, also the reigning world champion, topped the qualification round - combined of Group A and B - with his monster throw. Two-time world champion Anderson Peters (88.63m) of Grenada was second in Group B as well as overall standings.

Julian Weber of Germany, who won Group A with 87.76m, was third overall, while reigning Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan also qualified for the finals with a throw of 86.59m in Group B.

Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic, who was the only man to have beaten Chopra this year in Doha Diamond League, was seventh overall with a first round throw of 85.63m. 

"It has happened in the past when the first throw did not come good. (But) I try to do better in the first attempt," Chopra said.

Tuesday's performance also put to rest concerns around his adductor niggle. Chopra said he is in good shape heading into the finals on Thursday.

"I am better now. I will focus on the final. I am trying to keep it in mind and warm up properly. I am feeling better now. I will try to do my best in the final. "   

But Chopra acknowledged that the medal round will be an altogether different challenge.

"In the final, everyone has a different mindset. We should focus on the fact that we have started well and the better we are prepared for the finals, the better," he said. 

"I am very confident and motivated to perform well. I am trying to save my best for the final. That's the real thing.  I am feeling very good, we will try to come with better preparation."

Asked how he felt before and after the qualification round, he said, "Before the throw I thought it will be very good if we do it in the first attempt, we can go and do some stretching, relax and then we can prepare for the final. After the throw, I felt very good. We are ready for the final."

Chopra said though he was not throwing quite well in practice.   

"We were doing technical throws slowly," he explained.

• THE OLYMPICS, 2024