Neeraj Chopra finally conquered the long-standing milestone of the 90-metre mark on Friday, registering a spectacular throw of 90.23 metres at the Doha Diamond League.
With this, Chopra became the first Indian javelin thrower to breach the elusive barrier that had narrowly evaded him throughout his career.
Chopra has had a successful career with the Qatar Sports Club, placing second in the Diamond League`s Doha leg in 2024 and winning in 2023.
However, following the Potch Invitational Meet in Potchefstroom of South Africa, in April, this will be the former Olympic champion`s second competitive competition of the year. The Indian ace won the competition with a respectable throw of 84.52 meters.
Prior to this landmark performance, the 26-year-old’s personal best stood at 89.94 metres, achieved at the Stockholm Diamond League on June 30, 2022. Since then, the 90-metre mark had remained a tantalising target, with Chopra consistently producing world-class performances but falling just short of the iconic distance. That changed in Doha, where his powerful release and near-flawless technique propelled the javelin beyond the historic threshold.
Chopra’s rise to prominence began on the global stage at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he etched his name into the history books by becoming India’s first-ever track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. His Tokyo heroics catapulted him to international stardom and inspired a new generation of Indian athletes.
He followed up that feat with a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming a rare two-time Olympic medallist in Indian sporting history.
His decorated career also includes a gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, making him the first Indian male athlete to achieve the honour. He had previously won silver at the same competition, further underlining his dominance in the sport on a global scale.
In addition to his World Championship accolades, Chopra has also earned medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, establishing his reputation as a consistent performer across multiple major events. His Diamond League record is also commendable, he clinched the title in 2022, adding another prestigious feather to his already illustrious cap.
(With ANI inputs)
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