A role model to inspire the entire nation
It was the 7th of August 2021, the entire nation cheered with immense joy. India won its first-ever gold medal in athletics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Our golden boy Neeraj Chopra secured the gold medal in the Javelin Throw.
Let’s delve into Neeraj’s journey, from being a fat boy to being the first Indian to win a gold in athletics at the Olympics.
Early life
Neeraj was born on December 24, 1997, in a small village named Khandar in Panipat, Haryana. He lived with his father, mother, and two sisters. His father is a farmer and his mother is a housewife. As a kid, Neeraj was teased for being overweight. His increasing weight became a worrisome factor for the family. They decided to forcefully send him to the field to run and exercise to control his weight.
He was 13 when he went to Shivaji Stadium in Panipat where he was introduced to the Javelin Throw. Neeraj’s interest in the sport grew when he saw kids throw the javelin. After training for a year at the Shivaji Stadium, he moved to Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula, Haryana. There he trained under coach Naseem Ahmad.
Career and Achievements
Neeraj’s journey is filled with a lot of medals and records. Let’s have a look at them.
National Junior Athletics Championship (2012)
Chopra participated in the National Junior Athletics Championship in 2012. He won the gold medal at the tournament and created a new national junior record with a throw of 68.40 metres.
Youth Olympics Qualification (2014)
Neeraj won his first international medal, a silver, at the Youth Olympics Qualification in the year 2014 with a throw of over 70 metres.
South Asian Games (2016)
With a personal best of 82.23 metres at that time, Neeraj clinched the gold medal at the South Asian Games.
IAAF World U20 Championships (2016)
Chopra made headlines by winning a gold medal and setting a new world junior record with a throw of 86.48 metres. This made him the first Indian athlete to set a world record in athletics.
Asian Athletics Championships (2017)
Neeraj won a gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2017 with a throw of 85.23 metres.
Commonwealth Games (2018)
Chopra continued his winning streak with a throw of 86.47 metres at the games which bagged another gold medal for him.
Asian Games (2018)
Neeraj won the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games with a personal best throw at that time of 88.06 metres.
Olympic Games (2020)
History was created in the 2020 Olympic Games when Neeraj bagged a gold medal and became the first Indian to win gold in athletics. The distance covered by his javelin was 87.58 metres.
World Athletics Championship (2022)
He won a silver medal at the World Athletics Championship with a throw of 88.13 metres.
Diamond League Final (2022)
Neeraj secured first place at the Diamond League Final with a throw of 88.44 metres.
World Athletics Championship (2023)
Another gold was clinched by the champion with a throw of 88.17 metres in the World Athletic Championship.
Diamond League Final (2023)
Neeraj secured second place with a throw of 83.80 metres at the Diamond League Final.
Asian Games (2023)
The latest addition to his medals tally was a gold in the Asian Games 2023. Neeraj’s javelin covered a distance of 88.88 metres securing first place in the competition.
Awards
Neeraj was honoured with many awards following his success in the sport.
- Arjuna Award in 2018.
- Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2020.
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (highest sporting honour of our country) in 2021.
- Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in 2022.
- Padma Shri (fourth highest civilian honour) in 2022.
With eyes set on the 2024 Paris Olympics, Neeraj aims for nothing less than a gold medal. He has not only made the nation proud on an international level but has also helped people recognise the sport within the country. Today because of him many people know what a Javelin is.
Every Indian has pinned its hopes on their Golden Boy to clinch another gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Neeraj’s hard work and dedication has inspired a lot of young athletes to take up the Javelin Throw as a sport. We are sure there are many more medals on the way for the Golden Boy with a Golden Arm.
ChakDeBharat appreciates athletes who make nation proud globally.