Mumbai If attaching Olympic champion next to Neeraj Chopra still feels like a dream, it’s time to wake up to another historic reality: World Champion Neeraj Chopra.
In a show as memorable on Sunday night in Budapest as it was on that Tokyo evening two years ago, India’s javelin marvel flung the spear that landed at 88.17m and earned Chopra, and Indian athletics, a first-ever World Championships gold.
Before Chopra’s silver at last year’s edition in Eugene, India had one medallist at the elite world event in Anju Bobby George (long jump bronze, 2003). Now, Chopra alone has two medals.
Among a trio of Indians in the javelin final — another first at the Worlds — the 25-year-old sealed the win while Kishore Jena (84.77) and DP Manu (84.14) finished fifth and sixth respectively. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem (87.82m) ran Chopra close, finishing with silver, and Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch (86.67) bronze.
The Olympic and Diamond League Final winner’s penchant for consistency — Chopra has finished in the top three in every meet since 2020 — and turning up for the big stage shone through yet again. Unlike his trend of setting the tone with his opening act and his one-and-done qualification throw of 88.77m, Chopra didn’t produce the best of starts in the final, choosing to step past the line for a fouled first attempt. A huge throw of 88.17m however followed, springing Chopra to the top after the second round.
Nadeem came up with a season best throw of 87.82m for an India-Pakistan 1-2.
On a night when most other throwers struggled to match their personal bests, the order remained that way. And the gold with Chopra and India.
