Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj Chopra (born 24 December 1997) is an Indian track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. He is India's first Olympic gold medalist in athletics, winning gold at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with a throw of 87.58 meters. This historic achievement made him only the second Indian individual to win an Olympic gold medal after shooter Abhinav Bindra. Born in Khandra village, Panipat district, Haryana, Chopra came from a farming family. He was inspired to take up javelin throw after watching the sport on television. He began training at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula under coach Jashpal Rana, and later trained under German coach Uwe Hohn in Germany. Chopra's breakthrough came in 2016 when he won gold at the Asian Junior Championships with a throw of 82.03 meters — a junior world record. He then won gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta with a throw of 88.06 meters, becoming the first Indian to win gold in javelin throw at the Asian Games. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021), he threw 87.58 meters in the final to win India's first-ever Olympic gold in track and field. His Olympic gold was a watershed moment for Indian athletics. The image of Chopra running around the Olympic stadium with the Indian flag became one of the most iconic moments in Indian sports history. He followed up with a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon — India's first-ever World Championship medal in athletics. In 2023, he won gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou with a throw of 88.17 meters and then won the Diamond League final in Eugene. Chopra has become one of India's most marketable athletes, with endorsement deals from numerous brands. He is seen as a symbol of India's growing prowess in Olympic sports and has inspired a new generation of Indian athletes to pursue excellence in track and field.