Into the finals with a “perfect throw”, trailblazing javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Wednesday said he will need the same performance with a higher score to be in contention for India’s maiden track-and-field medal at the Olympic Games here. Chopra, 23, became the first Indian javelin thrower to enter the finals of the Games with a big throw of 86.65m that put him on the top of the Group A qualification.

He took just a few seconds to make that cut, sending the spear well past the direct qualifying mark of 83.50m in his first attempt.