Know the javelin ace’s greatest hits

From an overweight 13-year-old kid who took up sports to gain confidence to becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win an Olympic medal, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has come a long way.

Only in his early twenties, the Tokyo Olympics champion and India’s first world athletics championships silver medallist is barely at his peak.

However, what the Indian Army Subedar from Haryana has already achieved at his age is nothing short of staggering. In a short but impressive career, Neeraj Chopra has already erased several records, both national and global, to bring glory to India.

Here’s a look at Neeraj Chopra’s records.

First Indian track and field athlete to win an Olympic medal – Neeraj Chopra, Tokyo 2020

The moment the final throw was taken at the Tokyo Olympics men’s javelin throw event, Neeraj Chopra had secured another entry for himself in the history books.

With his second throw measuring 87.58m handing him the gold medal at Tokyo, Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian track and field athlete to win a medal at the Olympics.

Until Neeraj Chopra’s Tokyo heroics, India’s legacy in athletics at the Summer Games was highlighted only by heart-breaking misses. Milkha Singh and PT Usha agonisingly fell short of the podium by fraction of a second at Rome 1960 and Los Angeles 1984, respectively.

Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal at Tokyo ushered in a new era for Indian athletics. It was also India’s second Olympic gold at the Olympics, following shooter Abhinav Bindra’s 10m air rifle triumph at Beijing 2008.

First Indian to win a silver medal at World Athletics Championships – Neeraj Chopra, Oregon 2022

Barely a year after creating history at Tokyo 2020, Neeraj Chopra scripted another piece of history with a silver medal win at the World Athletics Championships 2022 in Oregon, USA.

Neeraj Chopra made the final at Oregon 2022 with an 88.39m mark in the qualification and logged a best throw of 88.13m in the medal round to settle for a silver.

It took defending world champion, Anderson Peters of Grenada, in the form of his life to deny Neeraj Chopra the gold medal. In the final, Peters breached the 90m-mark thrice and won the event with a 90.54m throw.

Nevertheless, Neeraj Chopra had the honour of becoming the first Indian in history to win a silver medal at the world athletics championships. It was also India’s first medal — and second overall — at the world championships in 19 years, since long jumper Anju Bobby George’s bronze at Paris 2003.

First Indian track and field athlete to win a world championship – Neeraj Chopra, World U20 Championships 2016

Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal win at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, was a milestone moment in the future Olympic champion’s career.

With the win, the then 18-year-old Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian track and field athlete to become a world champion in any event and any age level. The win proved to be the platform Neeraj Chopra needed to…