Tokyo 20202 Olympics star Neeraj Chopra created history on Saturday as he won the men’s javelin on Saturday with a best throw of 87.58 metres to claim a historic first Olympic athletics gold medal for India.
Neeraj Chopra threw the javelin 87.03m in his first throw and bettered it with 87.58m but couldn’t go any further. Chopra managed four legitimate throws of 87.03m, 87.58m, 76.79m and 84.24m while his fourth and fifth throws were disqualified. But his second throw was way better than the rest and enough to secure the gold for India.
The Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch won silver with 86.67 metres and Vitezslav Vesely claimed the bronze with 85.44.
“This is the biggest day of my life and sporting career. Winning gold for India in athletics is a very big thing. I tried to break the Olympic record but couldn’t,” Neeraj Chopra told India Today.
Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal is only the second for India in the individual category after Abhinav Bindra, who bagged the top prize in the 10m Air Rifle shooting event in China.
Neeraj dominated the javelin final just like he did in the qualification round when he threw the javelin 86.65m to qualify for the final with his first throw.
A nation of a billion-plus was awaiting a historic medal with bated breath, knowing it is well within the country’s reach — an unprecedented feeling when it comes to track and field events at the Tokyo Games.
Neeraj has allowed expectations to hit the roof. He has done it in the past and the absence of Poland’s Marcin Krukowski and the reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott and Rio Olympics silver medalist Julius Yego puts Neeraj among the favourites.