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When we say cricket or football, you come up with a hundred names. But what about if we ask about a few names in the javelin throw? Scratch your head! To sum up, quickly we can say that India is not an ‘athletic nation’. There is only a handful of talent in the country of 130 crores who dream of winning the medal on the international stage. One such young prodigy is Neeraj Chopra. In 2016, Chopra became the first Indian athlete to have a world record against his name when he won gold at the U-20 World Championships in Poland. He has joined the league of legends by winning both the Commonwealth and Asiad golds, only the second Indian athlete to do so after Milkha Singh in 1958. But his life’s biggest turnaround came up in Tokyo 2020. Neeraj Chopra became the 2nd Indian to win an individual gold for the country in the Olympics and the 1st one to do so in Athletics events. In 2022, Neeraj Chopra won the Zurich Diamond League Final 2022 with an 88.44m throw. He subsequently clinched the first gold for India at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
- Long-haired, charismatic, and virile, Neeraj Chopra catches attention at first sight. His journey is no small wonder. Let’s find out. Neeraj Chopra Timeline
About Neeraj Chopra
| Name | Neeraj Chopra |
| DOB | 24 December 1997 |
| Age | 25 |
| Place of Birth | Khandra, Haryana, India |
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Education | DAV College, Chandigarh |
| Sport | Track and field |
| Rank | 1 (Current) |
| Highest world ranking | 1 (achieved on 11 May 2023) |
| Event | Javelin throw |
| Coached by | Uwe Hohn, Klaus Bartonietz |
| World Championship Finals | Gold (2023)- Budapest, Silver (2022)- Eugene |
| CWG | Gold (2018)- Gold Coast |
| Olympic finals | Gold (2020)- Tokyo |
| Personal best(s) | NR 89.94 m (2022) |
Neeraj Chopra Family
Neeraj’s father Satish Kumar is a farmer in the tiny village of Khandra in Panipat, Haryana. His mother, Saroj Devi, is a housewife and he has two sisters. Neeraj developed an interest in Javelin at the tender age of 11 after keeping an eye on Jaiveer (Jai Choudhary) who used to practice at the Panipat Stadium. Jaiveer is a javelin athlete who represented Haryana.
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Also Read:Dollops of fresh cream and choorma, a fat-friendly mix of roti, ghee, and sugar, fed by a doting grandmother meant Neeraj stepped into his teens chubby and flabby. Weighing 80 kg when he was only 11, Neeraj’s introduction to the javelin happened by chance during his visits to the Panipat Stadium in his bid to lose weight.
He quickly took a liking for the sport and the rest, as they say, is history. Courtesy: His uncle. He decided to send Neeraj to sports. When he grew up watching athletes playing javelin throw Neeraj decided to take the game to the next level. In 2014, Neeraj bought his first Javelin worth Rs 7000. Later at the international level, he purchased a javelin worth Rs 1 lakh in the national camp he attended.
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Neeraj Chopra: The Golden Boy of India
A country with such a mediocre history in athletics, suddenly woke up one morning, in 2016, when the news of a 19-year-old Indian Javelin thrower creating a world record flashed on social media and television. He threw the Javelin to a distance of 86.48m to win the World U-20 Championships, in Poland. This was a Junior World Record throw.
On August 4, 2021, Chopra marked his Olympic debut, representing India at the Japan National Stadium. He secured the top spot in his qualifying group, earning a place in the final with an impressive throw of 86.65 meters. Then, on August 7, in his second attempt during the final, Chopra clinched the gold medal with a remarkable throw of 87.58 meters, making history as the first Indian Olympian to achieve a gold medal in athletics.
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The Great Run of Neeraj Chopra
The man in the form took no time in becoming Asia’s best as he won the Asian Championships 2017, in Bhubaneswar, by throwing a distance of 85.23m. He also competed in the prestigious IAAF Diamond League Events for the first time in 2017 where he finished seventh.
But there comes a bad patch in every athlete’s life. 2017 was the one where he had a very disappointing outing. For a brief period in 2017, he struggled to better his personal best and be amongst the top ten Javelin throwers in the world.
After training under legendary Uwe Hohn (Neeraj Chopra Coach), Neeraj came back strong. He bagged the gold medal in Commonwealth Games 2018 with a throw of 86.47m. Then he threw his personal best of 87.43m in the Doha leg of Diamond League 2018. He won the Asian Games with an 88.06m throw, which was one of the best throws of the season.
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During the World Championships held in Oregon in July 2022, Chopra secured a momentous silver medal in the men’s javelin throw final with his remarkable throw of 88.13 meters on his fourth attempt. This achievement marked India’s second medal at the World Athletics Championships, following long-jumper Anju Bobby George’s bronze in 2003.
On August 26, he clinched the top spot at the Lausanne Diamond League by achieving a remarkable throw of 89.09 meters, securing his qualification for the Zürich Final. Then, on September 8, he emerged victorious in the Final with a throw of 88.44 meters. This historic win made him the first Indian to achieve such a feat and also earned him a qualification for the 2023 World Championships.
In May 2023, Chopra secured the first position in the Doha Diamond League by achieving a remarkable throw of 88.67 meters. Then, in August 2023, he clinched the gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships with an impressive throw of 88.17 meters.
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Neeraj Chopra Achievements
World Continental Cup
| Year | Place | Discipline | Mark | Rank |
| 2018 | Ostrava, the Czech Republic | Javelin Throw | 80.24 | 6 |
World U20 Championships
| Year | Place | Discipline | Mark | Place |
| 2016 | Bydgoszcz, Poland | Javelin Throw | 86.48 | 1 |
Asian Championships
| Year | Place | Discipline | Mark | Place |
| 2017 | Bhubaneswar, India | Javelin Throw | 85.23 | 1 |
Asian Games
| Year | Place | Discipline | Mark | Place |
| 2018 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Javelin Throw | 88.06 | 1 |
Commonwealth Games
| Year | Place | Discipline | Mark | Rank |
| 2018 | Gold Coast, Australia | Javelin Throw | 86.47 | 1 |
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Neeraj Chopra in Olympics
| Year | Place | Discipline | Mark | Rank |
| 2021 | Tokyo, Japan | Javelin Throw | 87.58 | 1 |
Neeraj Chopra in Diamond League
| Year | Place | Discipline | Mark | Rank |
| 2022 | Zürich, Switzerland | Javelin Throw | 88.44 m | 1 |
Neeraj Chopra in World Championships
Year | Place | Discipline | Mark | Rank |
2022 | Eugene | Javelin Throw | 88.13m | 2 |
2023 | Budapest | Javelin Throw | 88.17m | 1 |
Neeraj Chopra’s Current World Ranking
| Discipline | Place | Score |
| Men’s Javelin Throw | 1 | 1443 |
Subedar Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj Chopra joined the Indian Army as Junior Commissioned Officer. The young talent once said,
“I accepted the job as I was desperately in need of a job to sustain my training. Nobody in my family has a government job, now I have received the one and now I can help my family financially.”
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Interesting Facts About Neeraj Chopra
- Neeraj weighed 77kg at the age of 13, his uncle was strict and asked him to join sports.
- He is the second Indian athlete after Vikas Gowda to participate at the Diamond League event.
- His passion for the javelin throw was fuelled by endless hours of watching every YouTube video of Jan Zelenzy, a retired track and field athlete from the Czech Republic.
- Neeraj Chopra is the Indian record holder for the javelin throw.
Neeraj Chopra Awards
- Arjuna Award – 2018
- Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) – 2020 Republic Day honours
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award – 2021 (highest sporting honour of India)
- Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) – 2022 Republic Day honours
- Padma Shri (fourth highest civilian honour) – 2022 Republic Day honour
Neeraj Chopra Net Worth
The 25-year-old Neeraj is currently in the fold of JSW Sports. He is also named a brand ambassador by sports drinks giant Gatorade in a partnership that runs up to 2021. Neeraj Chopra’s brand value increased over 1000% after the victory in Tokyo Olympics. Neeraj’s Olympic triumph made him India’s most valuable sports person surpassing legendary Virat Kohli. His current net worth is over $4 Million in 2023. Currently, he is endorsing companies like GoodDot, Mobil India, TATA AIA Life Insurance, CRED, P&G, Amstrad AC, and more.
Also
Social Media
World Champion. What a feeling.
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) August 28, 2023
India, this is for you.
जय हिन्द | 🇮🇳#WACBudapest2023 pic.twitter.com/iOwtzNsao5
मैंने कल कुछ पोस्ट नहीं किया क्योंकि लग रहा था की हमारे चार गोल्ड ही आने वाले है | 🥇
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) March 26, 2023
Congratulations to World Champions Nitu, Saweety, Nikhat and Lovlina and thank you to all Indians for supporting them at the World Boxing Championships. 👏🇮🇳
An incredible evening to celebrate Indian Sport. 🇮🇳 Thank you to @imVkohli, @AnushkaSharma and the entire Indian @sportshonours family for the recognition. #ISH2023 pic.twitter.com/PK1so4Xy9g
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) March 25, 2023
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) March 11, 2023
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FAQ
Neeraj Chopra won gold in Olympics 2021, with a throw of 87.58 m.
Neeraj Chopra’s best throw is 89.94m which he achieved at the Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden in 2022.
Indian javelin star, Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a Diamond League title after winning the Men’s Javelin Throw event at the Zurich Diamond League Final.
Neeraj Chopra was born on 24 December 1997 in Khandra, Haryana, India.
