Neeraj Chopra clinches historic gold in javelin throw with 88.17m in World Athletics Championship final
India’s Neeraj Chopra scripted history to become the first athlete from the country to win a gold medal in javelin throw at the Worlds. With a throw of 88.17m in his second attempt in Budapest, Hungry, Neeraj stood on the top and won the gold medal. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem finished second with a throw of 87.82. Neeraj’s compatriots, Kishore Jena and DP Manu, finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
On Sunday, the Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra ended India’s wait of winning a gold medal at the World Athletics Championship. His gold medal feat at this year’s Worlds increases India’s tally to three, with Anju Bobby George becoming the first to win a bronze medal in women’s long jump in 2003 and Neeraj winning a silver at last year’s competition in Eugene.
This win also puts Neeraj in an elite category of athletes who clinched the full set of gold medals – including winning at the Olympics, the Diamond League and now the World Athletics Championship.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem also won his maiden medal at the Worlds, taking home a silver medal, while Jakub Vadlejch, the Olympic silver medalist, stood third with his best throw of 86.67.
In the 12-man javelin throw final for the gold medal in Budapest, Neeraj didn’t have the best of starts, fouling in his first attempt. In his second attempt, Neeraj delivered his best shot, though that fell shy of the mark he achieved in the qualifying round before this (88.77m), but enough for him to stand tall till the end.
He saved his best for the final, and despite not the smoothest of conditions, he achieved a distance of above 88.
Besides Neeraj, two other Indians – DP Manu, the Asian Athletics silver medalist, secured sixth spot with his best throw of 84.14m, while, Kishore Jena achieved his personal best of 84.77m, good enough for him to end up fifth on the list.
Meanwhile, in a historic event, where, for the first time, three Indians qualified for a final in a discipline at the Worlds, an Indian clinched the top spot.
