Tokyo Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra scripted history on Sunday as he became the only second Indian and the first ever male track and field athlete to win a silver medal at the World Championships 2022 in the javelin throw final.
A great accomplishment by one of our most distinguished athletes!
Congratulations to @Neeraj_chopra1 on winning a historic Silver medal at the #WorldChampionships. This is a special moment for Indian sports. Best wishes to Neeraj for his upcoming endeavours. https://t.co/odm49Nw6Bx
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 24, 2022
#NeerajChopra has once again made #IndianArmy and the Nation proud. #IndianArmy congratulates Subedar Neeraj Chopra on winning #SilverMedal in men’s #Javelin in World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022 with throw of 88.13 meters.#WCHOregon22 pic.twitter.com/oNsHfJEets
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) July 24, 2022
The 24-year-old secured the medal with a throw of 88.13m finishing second. Defending champion Anderson Peters of Grenada won gold with a best throw of 90.54m while Olympic silver winner Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic took the bronze with 88.09m.
India is elated by the stupendous performance by Subedar @Neeraj_chopra1.
Congratulations to him on winning the Silver Medal at the #WorldAthleticsChampionships in Eugene, Oregon.
His hard work, grit and determination have yielded outstanding results. We are proud of him.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 24, 2022
Heartiest congratulations to our
Golden Boy @Neeraj_chopra1 & @RohitJavelin for qualifying to the finals of #WorldAthleticsChamps!Eldhose Paul also made us proud by becoming the 1st Indian to reach the Men’s Triple Jump Final.
Best wishes for your future sports!
Jai Bharat pic.twitter.com/uVbXvxQuqQ
— RajyavardhanRathore (@Ra_THORe) July 22, 2022
The legendary long jumper Anju Bobby George was the first Indian to win a medal — bronze — in the World Championships in the 2003 edition in Paris.
Neeraj Chopra continues his winning streak!
• Wins 🥈in Men’s javelin throw at @WCHoregon22 with his best throw of 88.13m, becoming the 1st Indian male and 2nd Indian to win a medal at the #WorldChampionships!
Neeraj has now won medal at every Global event !
Watch this 👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/YF455oople
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) July 24, 2022
Last year, Neeraj Chopra had won India’s maiden gold in the track and field at the Tokyo Olympics. He is only the second Indian to have won an individual gold in the Olympics, after shooter Abhinav Bindra, who won it in the 2008 Beijing Games.
What a champion, what an athlete!#Oregon2022,JavelinThrow,88.13m
First ever silver medal in Athletics at the World Championships for #India
Second only to win a medal at the WCH for India after long jump legend Anju Bobby George (Bronze, Paris 2003,6.70m)@g_rajaraman pic.twitter.com/cHFP3KdnBv
— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) July 24, 2022
First silver medal by an Indian at a world championships ever! Let that sink in India – this boy has created history yet again @Neeraj_chopra1 – keep it up – keep flying the flag 🇮🇳 higher
— Parth Jindal (@ParthJindal11) July 24, 2022
Chopra, since winning the World Junior gold six years ago, has spoilt Indian fans by winning a medal almost every time he has entered a competition with the historic Olympic gold being the watershed moment for Indian track and field. At Eugene, Chopra’s quest to add the World Championship medal to his CV, has made him one of the greatest ever.
Neeraj didn’t had an ideal start as he began with a foul throw and had 82.39m and 86.37m to be at fourth after three rounds. He got his rhythm back with a big fourth round throw of 88.13m, his fourth career-best effort, to jump to second place, which he held on to till the end. His fifth and sixth throws were fouls.