Indiaโs star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra etched his name in the history books on Sunday by winning the gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. He became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the prestigious event.
Thrilling Battle With Pakistanโs Arshad Nadeem
In a thrilling final, Neeraj was pushed to the limit by Pakistanโs Arshad Nadeem. The two were separated by less than a meter after their best attempts.
Neeraj took the lead with a throw of 88.17m in his second attempt. Nadeem responded strongly with a season-best throw of 87.82m in his third attempt to claim the silver medal.
Watch the Video
In a display of sportsmanship, Neeraj and Nadeem embraced after their thrilling battle. Later, when Neeraj and bronze medalist Jakub posed for photos with their flags, Nadeem was absent as he couldnโt find the Pakistan flag. In a heartwarming gesture, Neeraj invited Nadeem to join them and stand behind the Indian flag for the memorable moment.
Watch Neeraj Chopra inviting Silver medalist Arshad Nadeem (likely without flag) under Bharat's ๐ฎ๐ณ #AkhandBharat pic.twitter.com/Hy9OlgKpTE
— Megh Updates ๐จโข (@MeghUpdates) August 28, 2023
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Ends Indiaโs 19-Year Wait For World Championships Medal
Neerajโs historic gold ended Indiaโs 19-year wait for a medal at the World Championships. The last medal won by India was Anju Bobby Georgeโs bronze in long jump in 2003.
With his phenomenal throw, Neeraj also became only the second Indian after shooter Abhinav Bindra to simultaneously hold Olympic and World Championships gold.
Neeraj: Still More Throws Left in Me
Speaking after his victory, an emotional Neeraj said he controlled his tears and aims to deliver an even better performance in the future.
He displayed humility by calling legendary Jan Zelezny as the greatest javelin thrower, saying he has a lot more to prove. Neeraj stated he wonโt call himself the greatest of all time yet, as he has many throws left in him.
PM Modi, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Laud Historic Feat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur congratulated Neeraj for his historic gold medal and making the country proud. They said his feat will be remembered forever in Indian sporting history.
The talented @Neeraj_chopra1 exemplifies excellence. His dedication, precision and passion make him not just a champion in athletics but a symbol of unparalleled excellence in the entire sports world. Congrats to him for winning the Gold at the World Athletics Championships. pic.twitter.com/KsOsGmScER
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 28, 2023
๐ช๐ช๐ช@Neeraj_chopra1 does it again! ๐ฎ๐ณ
88.17 Meters for ๐ฅ
The golden boy of Indian athletics wins the menโs javelin throw at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. ๐ฅ
With this, Neeraj Chopra becomes 1st ๐ฎ๐ณ athlete to win a gold medal at theโฆ pic.twitter.com/WLmjAXwyFy
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) August 27, 2023
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