By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
India’s ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra endured another heartbreaking finish at a major international event, settling for the silver medal in the Glasgow Games after Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga produced a winning throw of 89.75 metres to claim the gold.
Chopra managed a best effort of 85.83 metres, well below his personal best, and had to be content with second place. Fellow Indian Yashvir Singh added to the country’s medal tally by winning the bronze with a throw of 85.41 metres, making it a double podium finish for India.
The Glasgow result brought back memories of the Paris Olympics, where Chopra had also finished with a silver medal after Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem stunned the field with a record-breaking performance to take gold.
In Glasgow too, Chopra entered the competition as one of the favourites but was unable to find the big throw needed to challenge Tharanga, who consistently looked in control and eventually emerged victorious with the championship-winning effort of 89.75 metres.
While the silver extends Chopra’s remarkable run of podium finishes at major global competitions, it also highlights the increasingly intense competition in men’s javelin. After being outclassed by Arshad Nadeem in Paris, the Indian superstar found himself eclipsed by another Asian rival, this time Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga.
Despite missing out on gold, Chopra once again demonstrated his consistency by finishing among the medals. Yashvir Singh’s bronze medal was another encouraging sign for Indian athletics, underlining the country’s growing strength in the javelin event.
The Glasgow competition marked the second successive marquee event in which Chopra had to settle for silver, raising expectations that the Olympic champion will be eager to bounce back in the upcoming World Championships and other elite competitions. With the world’s best throwers continuing to push the boundaries, the battle for supremacy in men’s javelin promises to become even more exciting in the months ahead.