Top five moments by Indians in athletics in 2023

Neeraj Chopra, Kishore Jena make it to the list.

In 2023, a landmark year in Indian athletics unfolded, destined to be etched in the annals of the nation’s sporting history. Indian athletes demonstrated their prowess across various disciplines, elevating themselves to the status of global contenders.

They made a lasting impact in events traditionally not considered their strong suit. Their exceptional performances garnered worldwide attention, leading to widespread recognition of their potential and evoking awe-inspiring applause. This year marked a defining chapter in Indian athletics, symbolizing a new era of excellence and inspiring future generations of athletes.

Here are the top five moments in Indian athletics in 2023:

Neeraj Chopra’s gold at World Athletics Championship 2023

Neeraj Chopra carved his name into Indian sporting history by becoming the first-ever Indian world champion in the men’s javelin throw event. The Indian star clinched the gold medal at Budapest with a remarkable throw of 88.17m. This victory not only marked a significant milestone in his career but also added to his impressive list of achievements.

In addition to his olympic and world championship gold medals, Chopra also held the Diamond League title in 2022. Moreover, he is the reigning champion Asian Games champion and Commonwealth Games – 2018, demonstrating his dominance and versatility in every major competition in his sport.

Jeswin Aldrin – World Leader in Long Jump

Jeswin Aldrin, 21, broke the national record in the long jump, reaching a world-leading distance of 8.42m, surpassing Murali Sreeshankar’s 2022 record of 8.36 meters with ease. To put this achievement into perspective, Aldrin’s leap exceeded the distance of Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Miltiadis Tentoglou’s 8.41m, placing him at the top of the global rankings. Aldrin also outperformed the current world champion, China’s Wang Jianan, by a significant margin.

Entering the World Championship, his record-breaking jump of 8.42 meters stood as the best in the world for the year, with Sreeshankar’s 8.41 meters securing the second spot. Aldrin’s accomplishment extends further as he became the first Indian to advance to a final at Budapest, marking the inaugural instance of an Indian athlete entering the World Championships as the world leader.

His achievement was recognized with a distinctive bib featuring his name highlighted in green against a white backdrop.

Parul Chaudhary’s gold in women’s 5000m – Asian Games 2023

Parul Chaudhary clinched a gold medal in the women’s 5000m event, just a day after securing silver in the women’s 3000m steeplechase. Becoming the third Indian track and field athlete to win gold at the Games, Parul’s victory unfolded dramatically. For much of the race, she strategically trailed behind Japan’s Ririka Hironaka until the final stretch.

With only 30m to go, Parul, having already covered 7970 meters in under 24 hours, summoned her endurance and surged past Hironaka to claim the gold. This victory, coupled with her silver medal in the 3000m steeplechase, solidified her status as a standout performer at the Asian Games 2023.

4×400 men’s relay team – World Athletics Championships 2023

At the World Athletics Championships, India’s men’s 4x400m relay team made history by shattering the Asian record. Despite finishing fifth in the final, the Indian team, comprising Muhammed Anas, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal, and Rajesh Ramesh, demonstrated unwavering determination throughout the competition.

The quartet clocked an impressive 2:59:05s in the heats and secured the second position overall. The Indian team emerged as the second-fastest across both heats, surpassing the Asian record of 2:59.51 set by Japan in the previous year’s world championships in Oregon.

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Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena’s podium finish – Asian Games 2023

At the Asian Games 2023 javelin throw event, Neeraj Chopra led India to a remarkable 1-2 finish by securing the gold medal, while Kishore Jena clinched silver. Chopra recorded a season-best throw of 88.88m, successfully fending off the challenge from his compatriot Jena, who achieved a personal best mark of 87.54m.

Despite facing technical issues that nullified his initial throw, Neeraj defended his Asian Games crown with a stellar performance on his fourth attempt. This victory marked his second gold medal at the continental meet, following his triumph in Jakarta in 2018.

The night’s surprise unfolded with Kishore Jena, who not only secured his first major international medal in Hangzhou but also reset his personal best twice on the same night.

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