Top five most memorable moments of Neeraj Chopra's career

Published at :April 4, 2024 at 9:48 PM

Modified at :April 10, 2024 at 4:15 PM

(Courtesy : HT)

Chopra became the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in a track and field event.

Born on December 24, 1997, in Panipat, Haryana, Neeraj Chopra discovered his passion for javelin throwing at a young age. In 2012, during the National Junior Athletics Championships held in Lucknow, he clinched his first junior national gold with a new national record throw of 68.40m.

In 2014, Neeraj Chopra secured his inaugural international medal—a silver—at the Youth Olympics Qualification held in Bangkok. Additionally, during the same year’s senior nationals, he achieved a significant milestone by recording his first throw surpassing the 70-meter mark.

The following are Neeraj Chopra’s most memorable moments amongst many:

Gold at 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Neeraj Chopra made history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal in track and field at the Olympic Games. His throw of 87.58m in the men’s javelin event secured the top spot at the Tokyo Olympics, bringing immense pride to India and solidifying his name as a legend in Indian sports history.

Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic claimed second place in the event, recording a throw of 86.67m. Another Czech athlete, Vítězslav Veselý, who secured bronze at the 2012 London Olympics earned his second bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a throw spanning 85.44m.

Gold at IAAF World U-20 Championships

In 2016, Chopra won a gold medal at the IAAF World U-20 Championships in Poland and set a world junior record of 86.48m. By doing so, he became the first Indian athlete to achieve a world record, simultaneously setting a new national record.

Unfortunately, he failed to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics as the cut-off date for qualification had been one week before the U-20 Championships.

Diamond League javelin throw champion in 2022

On September 8, 2022, Neeraj Chopra won the Zurich Diamond League Final 2022 with an 88.44-meter throw. In May 2023, Chopra secured first place at the Doha Diamond League with a throw spanning 88.67m.

Simultaneously, he attained the No. 1 position in the men’s javelin throw rankings, as designated by World Athletics, marking his inaugural ascent to the top spot in the global rankings. He secured second place in the 2023 Diamond League Final.

World Athletics Championships gold

In August 2023, Neeraj Chopra clinched the gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships with a remarkable throw of 88.17m.

The defending Olympic champion achieved a historic feat by becoming the first Indian to secure gold at the Worlds, just a year after he had previously won silver in the same competition.

Hangzhou Asian Games 2022 Gold

In October 2023, Neeraj Chopra clinched his second gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games with a season-best throw of 88.88m. The 2022 Asian Games took place in Hangzhou, China. Neeraj faced stiff competition from fellow Indian athlete Kishore Jena, who achieved a personal best of 87.54m, securing the second position.

Notably, Neeraj Chopra had previously won his first Asian Games gold medal in 2018, where his throw of 88.06m not only secured the top spot but also set a new national record. Additionally, he had the honour of being the flag-bearer for the Indian contingent at the 2018 Asian Games.

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