The boy who first came into the limelight in 2016, winning gold at the South Asian Games and breaking the junior javelin throw world record at the IAAF World U-20 Championships hasn’t stepped away from it ever since. And, it looks like he won’t for a while.
For, Neeraj Chopra scripted another bit of history in the annals Indian athletics by winning the men’s javelin throw event at the Asian Games with another national record (88.06m).
Neeraj’s gold is India’s only second medal in javelin throw in Asian Games history after Gurtej Singh won a bronze in 1982 in New Delhi. His wining threw came in his third attempt. He began with 83.46m and fouled the second attempt.
Liu Qizhen of China was a distance second with a best throw of 82.22m while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won the bronze with a 80.75 effort.
Neeraj was the flag-bearer for India in the opening ceremony. And, on Monday evening, there were many bearing the tri-coloured flag and waving it with joy to celebrate the 20-year-old’s gold medal.
Many of his compatriots on Twitter, from the Prime Minister to fellow athletes, were chuffed about his accomplishment.
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