Tokyo: Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra kept India on the hunt for another medal from track and field events of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 by bagging a direct qualification in the finals following a stunning throw of 86.65m on Wednesday.
The throw put Chopra on the top of the Group A contest. Taking part in his first Olympics, the 23-year-old javelin thrower needed just a few seconds to reach the final round scheduled for Saturday. He was well clear of the qualifying mark of 83.50m in his first attempt.
Meanwhile, in wrestling, Deepak Punia beat Nigeria’s Ekerekeme Agiomor in men’s freestyle (86kg) to move into the quarter-finals.
Another Indian wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya also got the better of Oscar Tigreros of Colombia to advance to quarters of men’s freestyle (57kg).
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