Neeraj Chopra wins India's first gold at world championships in javelin
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Neeraj Chopra celebrates after winning the Men's Javelin Throw final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, on Aug 27.
PHOTO: AFP
BUDAPEST – Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships when he pipped Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem in the men’s javelin on Sunday with an 88.17m effort in the final.
Chopra won Olympic gold in Tokyo but managed only a silver at the world championships in Eugene last year. The only other Indian to win a medal at the world championships was Anju Bobby George, who took bronze in the women’s long jump in 2003 in Paris.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi feted Chopra as a “symbol of unparalleled excellence in the entire sports world” on social media platform X, which was formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan’s Nadeem, coming back from elbow surgery and a knee injury, produced his season’s best effort of 87.82m on his third attempt to win the silver medal, while the Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch took the bronze with 86.67m.
“This was great. After the Olympic gold, I really wanted to win the world championships. I just wanted to throw further. This is brilliant for the national team but it was my dream to win gold at the world championships,” Chopra said.
“This has been a great championships for India and I am proud to bring another title to my country. I don’t think I am the best thrower here. I wanted to throw more tonight.
“I wanted to throw more than 90m tonight but it needs all parts of the puzzle to be there. I couldn’t put it all together this evening. Maybe next time.”
Chopra needed only one attempt in the qualification round to lead the field with a season-best 88.77m.
But he was unhappy with his first effort in the final, deliberately stepping over the line for a foul.
Under pressure, the 25-year-old then soared into the lead on his second attempt, turning his back and celebrating in trademark fashion with his arms aloft while pointing at the sky immediately after his throw, knowing it was good.
Nadeem was competing in his first event of the year and, as soon as the javelin landed on his third attempt, he broke into a wide grin as he moved up to second.
But that was as close as Nadeem, the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion, got to Chopra as he ran out of steam.
India and Pakistan may have a heated rivalry in cricket but, on a warm night in Budapest, all eyes were on two athletes competing for javelin gold.
“Neeraj and I have a very healthy competition and we respect each other a lot. There is no Pakistan-India rivalry in a bad way. When we talk, we are just happy that both of us have come to the fore in a competition usually dominated by Europeans,” The Indian Express quoted Nadeem as saying.
His Indian counterpart agreed, saying: “I don’t use my mobile much before competition but today I looked at it and the first thing was India versus Pakistan... I felt good that Arshad threw well and we discussed how both our countries are growing now. Earlier there were European athletes, but now we have reached their level.”
Such is their relationship that Nadeem sent a message to Chopra a day before the final, saying: “Brother, may you also do well, and I also do well. You have a name in the world. I hope I also get my name in the world.”
Meanwhile, Julian Weber was very close to giving Germany their first medal in Budapest on the final day of the championships, but he was pushed down to fourth when Vadlejch saved his best for his fifth attempt.
“It was a big fight and I am afraid that Julian Weber will not like me any more,” Vadlejch said.
Kishore Jena and D. P. Manu finished fifth and sixth respectively to give India three athletes in the top six. REUTERS
