Every few years a sportsperson comes along that not only wins a medal, but changes the whole country’s perception of the sport. Neeraj Chopra is that personality for India.
On 7 August 2021, Neeraj Chopra did not just win himself a medal when he threw the javelin but represented the entire nation. He won for every young athlete in India who has dared to dream big. This is the maiden Indian Olympic gold in the field of athletics and it came from a boy who grew up in a small village in Haryana.
But who is Neeraj Chopra and how did he reach here? Here is everything you need to know.
Who is Neeraj Chopra?
Neeraj Chopra is an Indian athlete who specialises in the javelin throw. He is the Olympic Champion, World Champion and Diamond League Champion and is the most successful Indian athlete in the history of track and field.
Born 24 December 1997 in Khandra village, Panipat district, Haryana. He comes from a farming family and he had little exposure to Olympic sports. Not only is he a champion today, but he is also a national icon whose name is known in every corner of India.
Early Life of Neeraj Chopra
He was born to Satish Kumar, a farmer and a mother, Saroj Devi, who is a homemaker. He was raised in an average family devoid of particular sporting history.
Neeraj was an overweight child and his family encouraged him to do exercises every day to achieve good health. He was about 13 years old when he visited the Shivaji stadium in Panipat where he first observed that there were athletes who practiced the javelin throw. He plunged into the sport.
He started training under coach Jaiveer Choudhary when he was young and had shown a talent at a young age. Soon enough it became apparent that it was not a mere hobby of his. It was a calling.
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Education of Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj Chopra attended school and did early schooling in DAV college, Chandigarh. In 2016, he joined the Indian Army as a Junior Commissioned Officer (Naib Subedar), therefore, having access to world-class training facilities and the possibility of dedicating himself to his sport career full time.
Indian Army has been a great support system throughout his journey and Neeraj has never ceased to discuss how joining the Army provided him the framework and means by which he could compete at the international level.
Neeraj Chopra's Career and Rise to Stardom
His success was not overnight. It was built with one throw at a time, many years of competition, sacrifice and struggle.
2016: Neeraj Chopra was the gold medal winning athlete at the IAAF World U20 Championships at Bydgoszcz, Poland with a throw of 86.48 metres, at the age of just 18.
2018: Double Gold In 2018, Neeraj was the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in both the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and the Asian Games in Jakarta, becoming the only Indian athlete to win a gold medal in both events in the same year.
2020 Tokyo Olympics: The historic gold. This is the moment something different took place. In August 2021 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj Chopra scored 87.58 metres on his first and final throw, and earned the gold medal. The whole nation celebrated.
2022: Neeraj was the champion of the Diamond League Final in Zurich and the first Indian to win the prestigious Diamond League. It was yet another first for Indian athletics.
2023: Neeraj Chopra became World Champion in the javelin throw event in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, with a distance of 88.17 metres.
2024 Paris Olympics: Neeraj won the silver medal with a throw of 89.45 metres (his best during an Olympic Games) at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Why Neeraj Chopra Matters to India
India is a nation that is crazy about cricket. Almost all the other games have struggled to achieve the attention, financial support and fan following that the game of cricket attracts. However, Neeraj Chopra changed the conversation very tangibly.
Neeraj is not merely a sporting hero but he is a new icon of the Indian sporting scene. He is humble, hard working and well rooted in what he believes in and that is what makes him a world superstar. He has never forgotten where he started and continues to inspire young sportspersons in the country.
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