India’s Neeraj Chopra, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics javelin throw champion, won the silver medal at the World Athletics Championships 2022 in Oregon on Saturday to end India’s 19-year-long wait for a medal at the worlds. In his fourth attempt, he managed to record a throw of 88.13m, with this historic performance he became the only second Indian Athlete to win a medal at World Championship, after Anju Bobby George who won a bronze medal in Long Jump at the 2003 World Championship held in Paris. Former President Ram Nath Kovind congratulated Neeraj Chopra for bringing glory to the country, with this Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur also congratulated him on his win. Anurag Singh Thakur specially mentioned in his tweet that Neeraj Chopra has won a medal at every Global event he participated in.
Needing to shatter his personal best and the national record of 89.94m, set at the Stockholm Diamond League last month, for a shot at gold, Neeraj Chopra posted 82.39m and 86.37m with his second and third attempts, respectively and his fourth and final attempt was 88.13m. The Indian, however, was still short of a medal position after the third series of throws. He was awarded the silver medal as the gold medal was bagged by Anderson Peters who recorded a throw of 90.54m in his final attempt before Neeraj. Meanwhile, the bronze medal was bagged by Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch.
Neeraj Chopra: About
| Name | Neeraj Chopra |
| Born | 24 December 1997 |
| Education | B.A. Arts |
| Birth Place | Haryana |
| School | DAV High School, Chandigarh, |
| College | Lovely Professional University |
| Sports | Track and Field |
| Events | Javelin Throw |
| Awards | Param Vishisht Seva, Vishisht Seva Medal |
| Coach | Klaus Bartonietz |
Neeraj Chopra: Athletic Career
In 2013 Neeraj Chopra participated in his first international athletics event in Ukraine as World Youth championships. In 2014 he participated in youth Olympics qualification where he won a silver medal by recording a throw of 70m. In 2017 he participated in the Asian Athletic Championship where he achieved a gold medal. In the 2018, Commonwealth Games he won a gold medal and became the first Indian player to win in Commonwealth games. In 2020 he participated in the Tokyo Olympics, a remarkable success in Neeraj Chopra’s career. On 4th August 2021, Neeraj Chopra made his debut at the Olympics representing India in the Japan National stadium. Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal in the final event on 7th August by recording a throw of 87.58 m in his second attempt and became the first Indian Olympian to win a gold medal in athletics. Neeraj Chopra also became the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal after Abhinav Bindra.