The 26-year-old Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra has already become one of the greatest javelin throwers. In the Paris 2024 Olympics, Chopra will defend the men’s javelin throw gold medal.
Neeraj Chopra’s Latest World Rankings (Highest World Rankings)
Men’s javelin throw: 2 (1)
Men’s overall ranking: 48 (13)
Neeraj Chopra’s personal best
Javelin throw: 89.94 metres (National Record)
Neeraj Chopra Early life
Neeraj Chopra was born on 24th December 1997. He hails from Khandra village in Panipat, Haryana. His family is largely involved in agriculture.
Chopra joined the Indian army under the sports quota. He was offered the Naib Subedar rank in the Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) role in the Rajputana Rifles, and he accepted.
Shining Javelin throw career
World Athletics U20 Championships gold medal with a world record throw
In the IAAF Athletics U20 Championships 2016, Chopra shined with the gold medal by setting a world record throw of 86.48 m. He was the first Indian track and field athlete to win a gold medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships.
Diamond League Final winner
Chopra, the four-time Diamond League winner (Lausanne 2022, Zurich 2022, Doha 2023, and Lausanne 2023), has claimed one Diamond League Final title in Zurich 2022. He finished in second place in the Diamond League Final 2023.
CWG 2022 and Asian Games gold medals
During the Commonwealth Games 2022, Chopra became the first Indian to win the javelin throw event in the CWG. He has also won two Asian Games gold medals.
Historic Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medal
By winning the gold medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Chopra became the first Asian to win a gold medal in the javelin throw event in the history of the Olympics. He was also the first Indian track and field athlete to clinch an Olympic gold medal. With that gold medal, Chopra became the second Indian individual to win a gold medal in the Summer Olympics (after the shooter Abhinav Bindra), while he also became the youngest Indian and the first Indian Olympic debutant to win a gold medal in the Olympics.
World Athletics Championships 2023 gold medal
After winning a silver medal in the World Athletics Championships 2022, Chopra also won a gold medal in the World Athletics Championships 2023. In 2022, he was the second Indian to secure a medal in World Athletics Championships history (after Anju Bobby George's bronze medal in Paris in 2003). In 2023, Chopra became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the history of the World Athletics Championships.
National record
Chopra holds the national record with his 89.94-metre throw in the Stockholm Diamond League 2022.
Neeraj Chopra Awards
Neeraj Chopra was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2018.
In 2019, Chopra received the Vishisht Seva Medal.
Later, Chopra was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021.
In 2022, Chopra received the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Padma Shri honours.
How did Neeraj Chopra qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics?
The Paris 2024 Olympics qualification standard for the men’s javelin throw event is 85.50 m. During the Budapest World Championships 2023, Chopra confirmed his spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics with his 88.77 m throw in the qualification round. Since then, he has repeatedly breached the Paris 2024 Olympics qualification standard.
Neeraj Chopra’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics
Former No. 1 javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will defend the men’s javelin throw gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
