Paris 2024 Olympics: Neeraj Chopra's three best throws ft. Tokyo Olympics 2020
Indian track and field athlete Neeraj Chopra is the current world and Olympic champion in the men's javelin throw. He is the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in javelin.
In 2016, he established a world record with his 86.48m throw, making history as the first athlete from India to do so. He has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal, both military awards for extraordinary contributions.
India holds its breath every time Neeraj Chopra takes up a javelin. The talented athlete, who consistently sets new records is a remarkable talent and rarely disappoints with his performances.
The gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games would surely be the pinnacle of the short but highly eventful career of the Indian athlete so far. Before he meets up at the Paris 2024 Olympics, let’s take a look at some of the best throws in his career so far.
#3 Tokyo Olympics 2020 - 87.58m
Chopra made his Olympic debut on August 4, 2021, in the Japan National Stadium at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, representing India. He threw 86.65m to win his qualifying group and get into the final.
With a throw of 87.58m on his second try, Chopra won the gold medal in the final on August 7th, making history as the first Indian Olympian to win an athletics gold medal and the first Indian Olympic medallist after independence.
Chopra's performance in Tokyo elevated him to the second position among athletes worldwide in the men's javelin throw. In addition, Chopra succeeded Abhinav Bindra, who took home the gold medal from the 2008 Summer Olympics, becoming the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal.
#2 Paavo Nurmi Games 2022 - 89.30m
Champion of the Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj Chopra, made a spectacular comeback to the competition, breaking his own national record to win the silver medal in men's javelin throw at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2022 in Turku, Finland.
Oliver Helander of Finland won gold with a personal best throw of 89.83m, ahead of Neeraj Chopra, who set a new national record and personal best with a throw of 89.30m.
The 24-year-old Indian made a powerful 86.92m opening throw to signal his intentions. Then, on his second try, he beat his own mark of 88.07m, which he had set at the Indian Grand Prix 3 in March of last year, to record 89.30m. This throw stands as his second-best throw in his career so far.
#1 Stockholm Diamond League 2022 - 89.94m
Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra placed second at the Stockholm Diamond League 2022 in Sweden on Thursday, shattering the previous national record once more. Neeraj Chopra beat his own record of 89.30m, which he had set earlier this month at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland, with his opening throw of 89.94m.
The Indian javelin ace missed the magical 90m threshold by a mere six cm. Neeraj Chopra broke the record with his first throw and went on to throw 84.37m, 87.46m, 84.77m, and 86.67m in his next four attempts. He was among the top three athletes to reach the sixth attempt. But in his last attempt, the 26-year-old Indian star could only muster 86.84m, finishing behind Anderson Peters.