Neeraj Chopra secures India's first Olympic gold in athletics
What's the story
Neeraj Chopra has clinched the second-ever individual gold medal for India at Olympics. The 23-year-old bagged the gold medal in the men's javelin throw final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Chopra is now the first Indian in over a century to win an Olympic medal in athletics after Norman Pritchard (British Indian) claimed silver 200m on July 22, 1900. Here are further details.
History
Second Indian with individual Olympic gold
Chopra has become the second Indian to clinch an individual Olympic gold. Former shooter Abhinav Bindra was the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at Olympics. He attained the feat at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Before him, India had won eight gold medals in field hockey. Notably, Chopra has claimed Independent India's first medal in athletics.
Chopra
Chopra had entered the final with his opening attempt
Chopra had become the first Indian javelin thrower to enter the finals of the Olympic Games. A throw of 86.65m in his opening attempt put him on top of the qualification round in Tokyo. Competing in his first Olympics, Chopra took just a few seconds to make the final round. He topped the Group A contest and the two qualification rounds.
Final
Chopra gained a massive lead at the start
Chopra seemed to be a front-runner to win gold right from the start. He started emphatically, having recording an initial throw of 87.03m. The 23-year-old improved further in the second attempt with an 87.58m throw. Chopra notched up 76.9m in his third attempt. His throws in the fourth and fifth round were not counted due to foul.
Medal
India's seventh medal at Tokyo Games
Chopra has won the seventh medal for India at the Tokyo Olympics. However, he is India's only gold-medalist in this edition so far. India's other medalists at the Tokyo Games: Mirabai Chanu (silver), Lovlina Borgohain (bronze), and PV Sindhu (bronze), Indian men's hockey team (bronze), Ravi Dahiya (silver), Bajrang Punia (bronze).