- Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the World Athletics Championships, with an impressive javelin throw.
- Neeraj Chopra clinched the gold medal with a throw of 88.17m
- Arshad Nadeem won the silver medal with his personal best throw of 87.82m
- Neeraj is now the 2nd Indian to concurrently win Olympic and World titles.
- Three Indians finished in the top eight with Kishore Jena (84.77m) and DP Manu (84.14m) taking the fifth and sixth spots respectively.
- Neeraj Chopra’s heart-warming gesture to invite Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem to pose for a photo after the javelin final at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest is going viral.
Neeraj Chopra continues to make history in athletics. On Sunday, August 27, he became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the World Athletics Championships, with an impressive javelin throw of 88.17m, in the men’s javelin final in Budapest.
Chopra dominated the event from his second throw and remained the leader until the end, beating Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem and Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch. After the triumph, Chopra’s act of humility won the internet as he was seen calling Nadeem for a picture.
In another first, three Indians finished in the top eight with Kishore Jena (84.77m) and DP Manu (84.14m) taking the fifth and sixth spots respectively. Never before did three Indians finish in the top eight of an event in the World Championships. Meanwhile, Parul Chaudhary finished 11th in women’s 3000m steeplechase but more importantly, she managed a time of 9:15.31s. She has thus sealed a spot for herself in the 2023 Paris Olympics.
Neeraj Chopra’s heart-warming gesture to invite Pakisan’s Arshad Nadeem to pose for a photo after the javelin final at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest is going viral.
After the competition was finished, the medal winners were seen posing for photos together with the flags of their respective nations. However, Nadeem was missing from the frame as he did not have a Pakistani flag. Neeraj was quick to invite Nadeem to pose with him as both athletes stood together under the Indian flag.
The Olympic champion Chopra entered the competition with a foul but quickly rose to the top with his second throw (88.17m). Nadeem, the current Commonwealth Games champion, secured the silver with his personal best throw of 87.82m. Meanwhile, Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic claimed the bronze.
Chopra’s victory over Nadeem is reminiscent of his previous win at the 2016 South Asian Games. He repeated his success against Nadeem in several tournaments since then, showcasing his skills and perseverance.
In addition to his recent triumph, Chopra has earned the distinction of being the second Indian, following legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra, who concurrently holds both Olympic and World Championships titles. He shares this rare accolade with famed javelin throwers Jan Zelezny of the Czech Republic and Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway.
Chopra’s other notable achievements include winning the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and numerous Diamond League Meeting titles. In 2016, he was crowned junior world champion and won the Asian Championships in 2017.
Chopra’s gold medal at the World Championships serves as a beacon of Indian sporting prowess on the global athletics stage. His spectacular performance underlines India’s growing strength in world sports and provides a beacon of hope for the country’s promising athletes.
(With inputs from agencies)
