Neeraj Chopra's top 5 achievements ft. Paris Olympics silver
Neeraj Chopra, at just 26 years old, is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes India has produced. The javelin thrower from Haryana has carved out a distinguished career that has placed him among the elite in the world of athletics.
Now, with two medals at the Olympic Games, a gold and a silver, and gold medals at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Diamond League, Asian Championships, and even the World Junior Championships, Chopra has very little left to achieve. Alongside his medals, Chopra even holds the U/20 world record and has also ascended to the top spot in the world rankings.
From dominating on the biggest stages to setting world records, here are five of Neeraj Chopra's most remarkable accomplishments:
# 1. Gold Medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
The Tokyo Olympics 2020 stand as the pinnacle of Neeraj Chopra’s career, where he achieved a feat that no Indian had ever done before—winning an Olympic gold medal in athletics.This victory not only made him a national hero but also etched his name in Indian Olympic history.
Heading into the competition, Chopra wasn't widely seen as a top contender, but he defied the odds with a stellar performance. His qualifying throw of 86.65 meters was the best among all competitors, and in the final, he opened with an 87.03-meter throw and then bettered it with 87.58 meters on his second attempt.
This performance secured him the gold medal, Jakub Vadlejch and Vitezslav Vesely, took silver and bronze, respectively.
# 2. World Record at the 2016 World U20 Championships
Neeraj Chopra's journey to stardom began at the 2016 World U20 Championships in Poland, where he showcased his immense talent on the global stage.
He set a new under-20 world record with a remarkable throw of 86.48 meters, shattering the previous record of 84.69 meters held by Latvia's Zigismunds Sirmais. This record-breaking throw not only established him as a rising star in athletics but also announced ‘Neeraj Chopra’ as a force to reckon with.
His record still remains the U20 world record and the U20 Asian record in javelin. Had this throw come a few weeks earlier, it would have qualified him for the Rio Olympics, which just illustrates the magnitude of his achievement.
# 3. First Indian Diamond League Champion - Zurich Final 2022
In 2022, Neeraj Chopra added another historic achievement to his growing list of accolades.
Competing in the Zurich Diamond League Final, Chopra delivered a best throw of 88.44 meters, which outclassed Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch and European champion Julian Weber. This victory was particularly significant as it saw Neeraj Chopra become the first Indian to win the prestigious Diamond League trophy.
# 4. World Champion at Budapest 2023
Arguably one of Neeraj Chopra's crowning achievements came at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where he became India's first-ever world champion in athletics.
With a winning throw of 88.17 meters, Chopra secured the gold medal, edging out Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, who finished second. This victory saw him better his silver medal-winning performance at the World Championships in Oregon in 2022 and become a 'World Champion' for the first time.
# 5. Silver at the Paris Olympics 2024: A Back-to-Back Olympic Achievement
Continuing his incredible run at the Olympic Games, Neeraj Chopra made history once again at the Paris Olympics 2024 by becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win back-to-back Olympic medals.
Adding to his gold from Tokyo, Chopra secured a silver medal with a mammoth throw of 89.45 meters in his second attempt. While it was his only valid throw of the final, it was enough to win him the silver. Chopra's silver marked another significant milestone in his illustrious career, making him only the third Indian to win consecutive individual Olympic medals.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won the gold with an Olympic record-breaking throw of 92.97 meters.