Javelin star Neeraj Chopra wins India’s first gold medal in Asian Games history

Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj Chopra is an Indian track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. He is just 20 years old, but we all know that age is just a number, as he showed what he is capable of. He has been the fierce force of the sport at the Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

He represented India at the 2018 Asian Games where he won a gold medal, setting the national record of 88.06 m while China’s Liu Qizhen and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem came second and third with throws of 82.22 and 80.75 respectively.

Earlier this year at the 2018 Commonwealth Games he clinched the gold medal. He was the 2016 IAAF World U20 champion and set the world junior record of 86.48 m at the U20 championships.

On 27 August 2018, Neeraj threw a distance of 88.06 m to win gold in the Men’s javelin throw at the 2018 Asian Games and set a new Indian national record, bettering his own previous record. For a while now, it’s been raining golds for India. Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal means that this is India’s 41st medal at the Asian Games 2018. Counting all the medals, India now has 8 gold medals, 13 silver medals and 20 bronze medals.

Chopra has been in fine form coming into the 18th edition of the Asiads and was named the flag bearer of the nation as well.