Neeraj Chopra: A Perspective on Unfulfilled Achievements

Neeraj Chopra added another remarkable achievement to his already impressive collection by clinching the gold at the World Athletics Championships. Prior to this, Chopra was one of just two Indians who had secured a World Championships medal. Now, he stands as the sole athlete from India to possess two medals from this competition, and notably, the first to attain the coveted gold. Despite a faltered start with a foul throw in the Budapest final on Sunday, Chopra’s second attempt proved triumphant as he hurled the javelin an impressive distance of 88.17 meters. This effort allowed him to maintain a lead over Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan, who earned the silver, and Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic, who secured the bronze.

In a formal podium ceremony following the day’s events, Neeraj was presented with the gold medal, accompanied by the playing of the Indian national anthem. He also received a substantial cash prize of $70,000 (approximately Rs 58 lakh). Nadeem claimed the silver with his throw of 87.82 meters, earning him a cash award of $35,000, while Vadlejch, who achieved a distance of 86.67 meters, took home $22,000.

Neeraj Chopra’s accomplishments place him in an exclusive category alongside his javelin throw role models, Jan Zelezny and Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway. This trio now holds the distinction of achieving the remarkable feat of winning gold in the Continental, Olympic, and World Championships. Neeraj’s journey to this accomplishment includes gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, in addition to his recent victory at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. His success spans across various prestigious events including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Olympics, and athletics World Championships — an unparalleled achievement in Indian javelin throwing. Notably, his achievements also encompass the title of junior World Champion in 2016 and a victory in the Diamond League in 2022.

Throughout the major senior competitions he has participated in since 2017, Neeraj’s sole absence from the gold podium occurred at the 2022 World Championships, where he secured silver due to an impressive throw by Anderson Peters of Grenada. This marked the best result by any Indian athlete in the competition to date. Neeraj’s outstanding performance on that Sunday established him as the first Indian athlete to win multiple medals in athletics World Championships during his career, solidifying his position as a trailblazer in the sport.