Neeraj Chopra’s gold medals in javelin throw - full list
At Tokyo 2020, Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian track and field athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics. He is also a world, Asian and Commonwealth Games champion.
Neeraj Chopra has already established himself as one of the greatest athletes to emerge from India.
Once an overweight kid who was inspired to take up the sport after seeing a javelin fly through the sky at an athletics stadium in Panipat, Neeraj Chopra, today, boasts every major honour a javelin thrower can possibly win.
Neeraj’s long list of global accomplishments also includes gold medals at the Olympics and the World Championships, among others.
Here’s a look at the international gold medals Neeraj Chopra has won in his career so far.
Tokyo 2020: First Indian track and field athlete to win Olympic gold medal
On August 7, 2021, Neeraj Chopra made history by becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. His second throw in the final measured 87.58m and was enough to hand him the top prize amidst a star-studded field in Tokyo.
He is only the second Indian to win an Olympic gold medal after Abhinav Bindra achieved the same feat in men’s 10m air rifle shooting at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Budapest 2023: First Indian to win World Athletics Championships gold medal
After managing a silver at the 2022 World Championships, Neeraj Chopra finally secured the gold with a throw of 88.17m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Just like in Tokyo two years earlier, Neeraj once again got the job done with his second throw of the night. Once again, he became the first Indian athlete to achieve this monumental feat in world athletics.
Asian domination and Commonwealth champion
Neeraj has won the gold medal at the Asian Games twice in his career already. His first victory arrived at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta where he launched the javelin a distance of 88.06m with his third throw to take home the gold.
He went on to defend his javelin throw title at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China. This time, Neeraj got a massive throw of 88.88m and clinched the gold medal, fending off compatriot Kishore Jena.
Neeraj Chopra also became a Commonwealth Games champion with a throw of 86.47m at the 2018 CWG in Gold Coast, Australia. However, he couldn’t defend his crown at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham due to injury.
The Haryana athlete also won the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships gold medal in Bhubaneswar and topped the podium at the South Asian Games 2016 held in Guwahati. These are Neeraj’s big international medals won on home soil.
The rise of a star
Neeraj Chopra first came into prominence with his performance at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Athletics Championships in Poland. Surprising everyone, he secured a monster throw of 86.48m in the final, setting a new U20 world record.
Only 18 years of age at the time, he also became the first Indian track and field athlete to achieve a world record.
Neeraj Chopra is also the first Indian to win the Diamond League trophy after winning the 2023 final in Zurich with a throw of 88.44m. Medals, however, aren’t awarded in Diamond League events.
Neeraj Chopra’s gold medals