Full list of medals, titles and achievements of Neeraj Chopra

Published at :September 24, 2023 at 2:12 PM

Modified at :February 18, 2024 at 8:48 AM

In 2021, Neeraj Chopra became first ever Indian athlete to win Gold in Olympic Games.

Neeraj Chopra added to his cabinet at World Athletics Championships that was missing, the elusive world title. After Olympic Gold and Diamond League final trophy, it was the only title which was missing from his cabinet. After winning the world title, he has now won every coveted title and medal in men’s Javelin.

In 2013, Neeraj Chopra entered in his first international competition, World Youth Championships in Ukraine. He won his first international medal in 2014, a silver at the Youth Olympic Qualification in Bangkok. He achieved his first throw of over 70m at the 2014 senior nationals. In 2021, he became first ever Indian and Asian athlete to win a Gold in Javelin Throw Men’s Event at Olympic Games & World Championship.

He is also the first Indian athlete who won a Gold at Under-20 world championship, where in 2016 he achieved a U-20 record throw of 86.48m & became the first Indian athlete to set a world record. He is the youngest-ever Indian to win an Olympics Gold in individual event and the only individual to have won Gold on Olympic debut. He is also a national record holder for Javelin throw with a massive distance of 89.94m.

Neeraj has won many historic titles so far, Lets look at his achievements and medals won so far:

Gold & Silver at World Athletics Championships

The reigning Olympic champion ended the wait for the Nation’s maiden Gold medal at recently concluded World Athletics Championships. Chopra won only India’s third medal at World Championships when he clinched the historic Gold medal with a giant throw of 88.17m which came in his 2nd attempt. Neeraj bettered his last year performance where he won silver with a 88.13m effort in Oregon World Athletics Championships in 2022. He became the first India to have won Gold and Silver at World Athletics Championships. India’s maiden medal had been won by India’s ace long jumper Anju Bobby George, while 2nd medal was won by ‘Golden Boy’ in World Athletics Championship 2022.

Road to historic world title

Chopra topped the qualification with a massive season best throw of 88.77m, which came in his very first attempt and qualified for the finals and Paris Olympics Games as well after breaching the Olympic qualification mark of 85.5m. His first attempt in finals was foul and with a throw of 88.17m in the second attempt, he won his maiden Gold medal at World Athletics Championships. While his compatriots, Kishore Jena and DP Manu, finished creditable fifth and sixth with throws of 84.77m & 84.14m respectively.

Three Diamond League wins

Neeraj Chopra has won Diamond League 3 times so far. His first Diamond League win came in Lausanne in August 2022. When he became the first Indian to win an elusive Diamond League meet, when he hurled the Javelin to a massive distance of 89.09 meters.

His second Diamond League win came in June 2023, when he won Doha Diamond league meet with an effort of 88.67m. It was the second time when the Indian ace Javelin thrower obtained the top spot and won the Diamond League.

Neeraj won his third and second consecutive Lausanne Diamond League in August 2023 with the effort of 87.66 m which came in fifth attempt. The Lausanne meet was Neeraj Chopra’s second competition of the season and the first since the Doha Diamond League. While another Indian Long Jumper Murali Sreeshankar finished fifth with the best attempt of 7.88 metres.

First Indian to win Diamond League finals

Neeraj Chopra created history another time as he topped the Zurich Diamond League with a massive effort of 88.44m. Olympic champion became first ever Indian to win Diamond League trophy and became a reigning Diamond League champion. A total of six finalists competed at the grand final in Zurich after qualifying through a series of Diamond League events this season.

Neeraj Chopra made the cut for his third Diamond League grand final after winning Lausanne Diamond League in August and securing second spot in Stockholm Diamond League back in June.

The title-winning throw came in second attempt measuring 88.44m followed up by a massive distance of 88m in third throw. He moved past 2016 Diamond League Champion & Tokyo Olympics Silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic to win the title. Silver medalist of Tokyo 2020 fell short of his personal best throw to finish second with a best attempt of 86.44m. Julian Weber of Germany came in third with an 83.73m throw. He was followed by USA’s Curtis Thompson (82.40m), Patriks Gailums of Latvia (80.44m) and Portugal’s Leandro Ramos (71.96m)

Historic Tokyo Olympics Gold:

Neeraj Chopra won Gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. (Image Source: Olympics)

India’s star Javelin thrower won another first of his career. When he won a historic Olympic Gold medal on 7th of August in 2021. 7th of August 2021 proved to be a red letter day in Indian sports history. Neeraj Chopra added a golden chapter to Indian sports after he clinched only India’s second Individual Gold medal and first ever medal in athletics at Olympic games on his debut and joined the party with legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra. India’s ace Javelin thrower ended 13 years wait of country for gold medal. He also became the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold in men’s Javelin.

In the qualifying round, Neeraj Chopra’s first and only throw of 86.65m was enough to top the field. With this, he qualified for major Olympic finals in his maiden Olympic games.

On Aug 7, 2021, in the final, Neeraj Chopra started with an 87.03m throw in his first attempt and improved it to 87.58m in his second. His miscued third measured 76.79m and the Indian failed to record a valid attempt in his next two throws. The sixth and final throw saw Neeraj cover 84.24 to wrap up his sequence.

Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch and Vitezslav Vesely won the silver and bronze, with throws measuring 86.67m & 85.44m respectively. Pre-tournament favourite Johannes Vetter, meanwhile, finished a distant ninth with a throw of 82.52m.

‘Gold’ on Asian Games debut in 2018:

Neeraj Chopra won Gold medal at the Asian Games 2018. (Image Source: PTI)

Neeraj bagged Gold medal on his debut Asian Games. Neeraj Chopra created history by winning country’s first ever Gold medal in javelin throw in his first Asian Games participation in 2018 in Jakarta. Neeraj Chopra bagged India’s first ever Gold in the men’s javelin throw event at the 18th edition of the Asian Games in Indonesia. He stole the show with a monstrous 88.06m throw to win the yellow metal and break the national record at that time. While China’s Liu Qizhen and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won silver and bronze with throws of 82.22 and 80.75 respectively.

This was also India’s first-ever gold medal in javelin throw at the Asian Games and the first medal in the sport since 1982, where Gurtej Singh of India bagged bronze. Overall, he became the third Indian to win a medal in Javelin throw. Parsa Singh was the first Indian to achieve the feat when he won a silver medal at the 1951 New Delhi Asian Games.

Commonwealth Games 2018 – Gold medal:

Neeraj Chopra won Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2018, Gold Coast. (Image Source: Olympics)

Neeraj Chopra and his knack of creating history were on full display at the Commonwealth Games 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia when he won the Javelin throw gold medal. Neeraj became first ever Indian to win a Gold medal in the games’ history. Chopra became the overall fourth Indian athlete to claim athletics title at Commonwealth games after Milkha Singh, Krishna Poonia and Vikas Gowda. Before making his debut at the Commonwealth Games in 2018, Neeraj Chopra was already a junior world champion.

Then 20-year-old Neeraj Chopra made his debut at the Commonwealth Games 2018 as the top contender. And he lived up to his billing. Neeraj’s very first attempt in the qualification round put him through to the final. Neeraj Chopra made a spectacular start to the final, reaching the Gold medal position with his very first throw that touched 85.50m. Neeraj’s Best throw came in the fourth attempt when he hurled the spear to 86.47m. Silver medalist was Hamish Peacock (82.59m) of Australia and Anderson Peters (82.20m) of Grenada came third to win Bronze. There was another Indian in the final, Vipin Kasana, who finished fifth with best throw of 77.87m.

First ever World Champion from India at any age level in U-20 World athletics Championships:

Neeraj Chopra created history by securing top position in the Junior World Championship by a world junior record throw of 86.48m. Neeraj became first ever world champion at Athletics global stage in any event at any age level. He also became first Indian athlete to set a world record. Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal win at 2016 world U-20 Athletics Championship was a milestone achievement in Indian athletics history.

Neeraj, a native of Panipat in Haryana, started the event strongly, logging a throw of 79.66 meters in his first attempt which put him in lead. South Africa’s Grobler’s attempt of 80.59 meters took away the lead from Neeraj, but it was all too brief. The stocky Neeraj roared back with a massive junior world record throw of 86.48 meters, one that allowed him to retake the lead in comfortable fashion. His third throw recorded a distance of 78.36m while he couldn’t register a valid throw in his fourth and last try. Johan Grobler of South Africa clinched silver with a Personal best throw of 80.59m while Anderson peters of Grenada secured bronze medal with a throw of 79.65m.

Neeraj Chopra’s 86.48m attempt at Bydgoszcz, Poland still stands as both the U20 world record as well as the U20 Asian record in the Javelin throw.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

After Neeraj’s historic Olympic gold medal at Tokyo, he was conferred with the highest sporting honour of India – Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2021.

Padma Shri and Arjuna Award

In 2022, Neeraj was honoured with Padma Shri – Fourth highest civilian honour in India after his historic achievements in the field of javelin. In 2018, He was conferred with the Arjuna Award.

Param Vishisht Seva Medal

Neeraj Chopra, who also holds Subedar Rank in Indian Army, was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (A Military award of India) in 2022 and Vishisht Seva Medal (A decoration of Indian Armed forces) in 2020.

Sports person of the year

After his historic season in 2021, Times of India announced Neeraj as TOISA Sports person of the year: 2021.