Neeraj Chopra’s Paris 2024 t-shirt inducted into World Athletics Heritage Collection
The Indian javelin throw ace is among 23 athletes whose competition artefacts were inducted into the collection this week.
Athletics
India’s javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra’s t-shirt, worn during his silver medal-winning performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has been inducted into the prestigious World Athletics Heritage Collection.
Chopra, the reigning world champion and Tokyo 2020 gold medallist, is among 23 athletes whose competition artefacts were recently added to the collection.
The historical items are now showcased on the online 3D platform of the Museum of World Athletics.
“Keeping our Olympic collection up to date, we are proud today to be announcing donations from a trio of Paris 2024 medallists: Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Thea LaFond and Neeraj Chopra,” World Athletics president Sebastian Coe announced on Thursday.
Neeraj Chopra, who made history in Tokyo by becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win Olympic gold, secured silver in Paris with a throw of 89.45m. He was outdone by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who broke the Olympic record with a 92.97m effort.
Chopra’s javelin from his Tokyo 2020 triumph resides in the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Other Paris 2024 medallists also contributed iconic memorabilia. Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who shattered the world high jump record at the Paris Diamond League before claiming Olympic gold this year, donated her singlet, name bib and shorts.
Thea LaFond, Dominica’s first Olympic medallist, gifted the crop top she wore during her victorious triple jump final at Paris 2024.
In total, 32 artefacts related to 23 athletes from 12 countries were added to the World Athletics Heritage Collection this week.
This year, the World Athletics museum also received historic items from USA’s Wyomia Tyus, a two-time women’s 100m Olympic champion, Billy Mills of the USA, the Tokyo 1964 10,000m champion, and Moscow 1980 100m champion Allan Wells of Great Britain.