In a truly impressive display of skill and precision, Neeraj Chopra, India’s javelin star, created history by winning gold at World Athletics Championships. His fantastic throw of 88.17 meters in his second attempt at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, not only secured the top spot but also marked India’s first-ever gold medal at this prestigious event.
Neeraj Chopra’s performance was quite like what we saw at the Tokyo Olympics, where he also won gold in his second attempt. The crowd cheered him on, and it made him a hero in Indian athletics.
While Neeraj was the star, two other Indian athletes, Kishore Jena and DP Manu, also gave strong performances on the global stage. Jena achieved his best ever with a throw of 84.77 meters, securing fifth place, while Manu finished sixth with a best throw of 84.14 meters.
This gold at World Athletics Championships was the missing piece in Neeraj’s already impressive career. He now has an impressive collection of gold medals, including the Olympics (Tokyo 2020), Asian Games (2018), Commonwealth Games (2018), U-20 World Championships (2016), and the Diamond League title from last year.
Things got even more exciting in the javelin throw final when Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem threw 87.82 meters, his best this season, in his third attempt. Initially, Neeraj had a tough start with a throw of just 79 meters, but he came back strong in his second attempt.
The Olympic champion becomes the javelin throw world champion ☄️
🇮🇳's @Neeraj_chopra1 throws 88.17m to upgrade last year's silver medal into glittering gold in Budapest 👏#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/8K1mIvcYmF
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 27, 2023
Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan secured the second spot with a throw of 87.82 meters, just behind Neeraj Chopra. Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic took the bronze with a throw of 86.67 meters.
India’s prowess in javelin throwing was evident as both Kishore Jena and DP Manu made it to the top-8 positions, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. Jena’s personal best of 84.77 meters was a highlight, and Manu managed a throw of 84.14 meters.
Neeraj Chopra, the top-ranked javelin thrower in the world, had previously won the Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020 but settled for silver at the World Championships in Eugene last year when Anderson Peters won gold. Anju Bobby George is the only other Indian to win a medal at the World Championships, with a bronze in the women’s long jump in 2003 in Paris.
Neeraj’s journey to the top was secured in the qualification round for the men’s javelin final at the 2023 event. He secured a place for Sunday’s event with a fantastic throw of 88.77 meters in his first attempt. Despite a foul in his first throw during the final, Neeraj managed throws of 88.17 meters, 86.32 meters, 84.64 meters, 87.73 meters, and 83.98 meters.
It’s worth noting that Neeraj Chopra now joins an exclusive club, becoming only the third athlete in history to hold the titles of Olympics and World Championships in javelin simultaneously. He follows the footsteps of Jan Zelezny from the Czech Republic and Andreas Thorkildsen from Norway, who achieved similar feats in the past.
In summary, Neeraj Chopra’s historic victory with gold at World Athletics Championships, with his incredible 88.17-meter throw, solidifies his status as an athletic legend and brings immense pride to India.
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