Neeraj Chopra

From WikiDesk
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Neeraj Chopra
Athlete, Javelin Thrower
Indian javelin thrower and Olympic champion
Indian javelin thrower and Olympic champion


Personal Details
Born24 December 1997
Khandra, Panipat, Haryana, India
NationalityIndian
Career & Education
OccupationAthlete, Javelin Thrower
EducationDAV College, Chandigarh
Alma MaterDAV College, Chandigarh
InstitutionIndian Army
Known ForOlympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020, Olympic silver medal at Paris 2024, World Athletics Championship title, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games titles
Years Active2013–present
Recognition & Links
AwardsArjuna Award (2018); Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2021); Padma Shri (2022)
WebsiteOfficial Website


Neeraj Chopra (born 24 December 1997) is an Indian javelin throw athlete. He is the first Indian track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold medal and has won major international titles at the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games. He competes in the men's javelin throw and represents India in international athletics competitions. His personal best of 90.23 metres, achieved in Doha in May 2025, is the Indian national record."Neeraj Chopra — Athlete Profile". World Athletics.

Early life and education

Neeraj Chopra was born on 24 December 1997 in Khandra, in the Panipat district of Haryana, India. He developed an interest in athletics during his childhood and eventually specialised in the javelin throw. He studied at DAV College, Chandigarh. His development in the sport led him from national junior competitions to international athletics events."Neeraj Chopra — Athlete Profile". World Athletics.

Early international career

Chopra established himself as a leading junior javelin thrower in the middle of the 2010s. In 2016, he won the gold medal in the men's javelin throw at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. His winning throw of 86.48 metres set a world under-20 record at the time. World Athletics records the performance as one of the major milestones in his early career."Chopra, from world U20 champion to Olympic gold". World Athletics.

Chopra subsequently won major continental and Commonwealth titles. He won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and later won the men's javelin throw at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. These victories established him as one of India's leading international field athletes."Chopra, from world U20 champion to Olympic gold". World Athletics.

Olympic career

Chopra made his Olympic debut at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were held in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He qualified for the men's javelin final and won the gold medal with a throw of 87.58 metres.

His victory made him India's first Olympic champion in athletics and the first Indian track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. He became only the second Indian athlete to win an individual Olympic gold medal, following shooter Abhinav Bindra's victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has described Chopra's Tokyo victory as a landmark achievement for Indian athletics."India's Neeraj Chopra gives gold-medal-winning javelin from Tokyo 2020 to The Olympic Museum". International Olympic Committee. 27 August 2022.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Chopra won the silver medal in the men's javelin throw with a best throw of 89.45 metres. The result made him the first Indian track and field athlete to win two individual Olympic medals."Paris 2024 — India results". World Athletics.

World Athletics career

Chopra won his first World Athletics Championships gold medal in 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. His victory made him India's first world champion in athletics. He had previously won a silver medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon."Neeraj Chopra — Athlete Profile". World Athletics.

In international competition, Chopra has also competed in the Diamond League. He won the Diamond League final in 2022, becoming the first Indian athlete to win the season-ending Diamond League title. His performances have placed him among the leading javelin throwers in world athletics."Neeraj Chopra — Athlete Profile". World Athletics.

On 16 May 2025, Chopra recorded a personal best and Indian national record of 90.23 metres at the Doha Diamond League. The throw made him one of the relatively small number of javelin throwers to surpass the 90-metre mark in competition. World Athletics lists 90.23 metres as his current personal best and Indian national record."Neeraj Chopra — Athlete Profile". World Athletics.

Major achievements

Chopra's international record includes Olympic, world, Asian and Commonwealth titles. His major achievements include:

World Athletics currently lists Chopra as an Olympic champion, world champion, Olympic silver medallist and Diamond League Final winner."Neeraj Chopra — Athlete Profile". World Athletics.

Awards and recognition

Chopra received the Arjuna Award in 2018 in recognition of his achievements in athletics. He was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021, India's highest sporting honour, following his Olympic success in Tokyo. He was also awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's civilian honours, in 2022.

His Olympic gold medal has also been preserved as part of the Olympic heritage collection. In 2022, Chopra donated the javelin used for his Tokyo 2020 victory to The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. The International Olympic Committee recorded the donation as part of the museum's Olympic collection."India's Neeraj Chopra gives gold-medal-winning javelin from Tokyo 2020 to The Olympic Museum". International Olympic Committee. 27 August 2022.

National records and statistics

Chopra's 90.23-metre throw in Doha on 16 May 2025 is his personal best and India's national record in the men's javelin throw. World Athletics also records his 86.48-metre throw from the 2016 World U20 Championships as a former world under-20 record."Neeraj Chopra — Athlete Profile". World Athletics.

His performances at the Olympic Games have made him one of the most successful Indian athletes in the history of track and field. His Tokyo gold was India's first Olympic athletics gold, while his Paris silver added a second Olympic medal to his record."Neeraj Chopra — Athlete Profile". World Athletics.

See also

References


External links

Retrieved from "https://wikidesk.org/index.php?title=Neeraj_Chopra&oldid=1918"