Sports Minister Anurag Thakur calls Neeraj Chopra role model, congratulates him on World Championships victory

Neeraj Chopra created history on August 27th, 2023, at the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. Chopra clinched a historic gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event – the first ever Indian to achieve the feat.

Chopra’s winning throw was an impressive 88.17 meters, outperforming his competitors and securing his top spot. His victory was not only a personal triumph but also a moment of national pride, as it was India’s first-ever gold at the athletics worlds. The silver medal went to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who threw a season’s best of 87.82m, while the bronze was claimed by Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic with a throw of 86.67m.

World Athletics Championship 2023: Highlights

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports of India – Anurag Thakur – congratulated the athlete on his victory and said that he was the golden boy of Indian athletics.

“Let me first congratulate Neeraj first. He has done extremely well time and again. He is the golden boy of Indian athletics and the way he has won by scoring 88.17m. Not only that, with him, Kishore Jena took 5th position and DP Manu in 6th position, clearly shows how well India are doing in the field of sports,” Thakur told India Today in an exclusive interview.

“He has done it in the Olympics and in the World Championships and it a great moment for India,” Thakur said.

The Sports Minister compared Neeraj to heroes of the 1983 ODI World Cup and said that India was proud of its shining star.

“You need a role model in each game. In the 1983 World Cup it was Kapil Dev, then it was Sachin and Dhoni and now we are starting to see this in the other fields as well. You know, you have stars to look up to. I think Neeraj has done that,” Thakur said.

“India is proud of you. Keep it up and looking forward to more in the future,” he concluded.

Chopra’s journey to this victory was not without its challenges. After fouling his first attempt, he managed to hurl the javelin 88.17m in his second attempt, a mark that remained unbeaten for the rest of the final. Despite some technical issues and concerns about a previous groin injury, Chopra pushed through, demonstrating his unwavering determination and resilience.

This victory adds to Chopra’s growing list of accolades, which includes being the reigning Olympic champion, the Diamond League champion, and now, the World Champion in javelin throw. He is also the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in men’s javelin throw and the first such Asian to win gold at the World Championship.

Chopra’s victory at the World Athletics Championships 2023 is a testament to his talent, hard work, and dedication to his sport. It is a significant milestone in his career and a proud moment for India on the global athletics stage.