Neeraj Chopra is a name that has become synonymous with excellence, glory and inspiration in Indian sports. The 25-year-old javelin thrower has achieved what no other Indian athlete has ever done before: winning the Olympic gold medal and the World Championship gold medal in the same year. He is also the first Asian to win gold in his event at both the Olympics and the World Championships.
Neeraj Chopra’s journey from a small village in Haryana to the pinnacle of world athletics is a remarkable story of talent, hard work, perseverance and passion. In this blog post, we will take a look at his achievements, his education, his training and his future plans.
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Neeraj Chopra’s Achievements
Neeraj Chopra has been breaking records and winning medals since he started competing in javelin throw at the age of 14. Here are some of his major achievements so far:
- In 2016, he won the gold medal at the South Asian Games in Guwahati, India with a throw of 82.23 m.
- In the same year, he won the gold medal at the World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland with a world U20 record throw of 86.48 m, becoming the first Indian athlete to set a world record.
- In 2017, he won the gold medal at the Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar, India with a throw of 85.23 m.
- In 2018, he won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia with a throw of 86.47 m, becoming the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games gold in javelin throw.
- In the same year, he won four more gold medals at international events: Sotteville Athletics Meet in France (85.17 m), Savo Games in Finland (85.69 m), Asian Games in Indonesia (88.06 m) and IAAF Continental Cup in Czech Republic (80.24 m).
- In 2021, he won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics with a throw of 87.58 m, becoming the first Indian to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics and the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal after Abhinav Bindra.
- In 2022, he won the silver medal at the World Championships in Eugene, USA with a throw of 89.94 m, setting a new national record and becoming the second Indian to win a medal at a World Athletics Championships after Anju Bobby George.
- In 2023, he won the gold medal at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary with a throw of 88.77 m, becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at a World Athletics Championships.
- He also won two Diamond League trophies in 2022 and 2023 with throws of 88.36 m and 88.44 m respectively.
Neeraj Chopra is currently ranked number one in the world in javelin throw by World Athletics.
Neeraj Chopra’s Education
Neeraj Chopra was born on December 24, 1997 in Khandra village, Panipat district, Haryana. He has two sisters and his family is largely involved in agriculture. He did his schooling from BVN Public School. He graduated from Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College in Chandigarh, a renowned institution that has produced more than 50 international-level sports persons for India. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, Punjab.
Neeraj Chopra joined the Indian Army as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in 2016 with the rank of Naib Subedar. He is currently serving in the Rajputana Rifles regiment. He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2020 for his outstanding contribution to sports. He was also conferred with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021 for his historic Olympic gold medal.
Neeraj Chopra’s Training
Neeraj Chopra trains under various coaches and mentors who have helped him improve his technique, strength and fitness. Some of his coaches are:
- Gary Calvert: An Australian coach who guided Neeraj to his world U20 record and gold medal in Poland in 2016.
- Naseem Ahmad: A former Indian javelin thrower who spotted Neeraj’s talent and trained him at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula, Haryana.
- Klaus Bartonietz: A German coach who worked with Neeraj before the Tokyo Olympics and helped him fine-tune his skills and strategy.
- Werner Daniels: A German biomechanics expert who analysed Neeraj’s throwing motion and suggested corrections and adjustments.
- Uwe Hohn: A former German javelin thrower who holds the world record of 104.80 m and is the only person to throw over 100 m. He is Neeraj’s personal coach since 2018 and has been instrumental in his success at the Asian Games, the Olympics and the World Championships.
- Raj Kumar: An Indian Army coach who trains Neeraj at the Army Sports Institute in Pune, Maharashtra.
Neeraj Chopra follows a rigorous training regimen that involves throwing sessions, gym workouts, recovery exercises and diet plans. He also travels to different countries and venues to train under different conditions and climates. He has trained in places like Finland, Germany, South Africa, Turkey and Switzerland.
Neeraj Chopra’s Future Plans
Neeraj Chopra has already achieved what many athletes can only dream of. But he is not satisfied with his laurels and wants to achieve more. He has set his sights on breaking the 90 m barrier and challenging the world record of 98.48 m held by Jan Zelezny of Czech Republic. He also wants to defend his Olympic title at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and win more medals for India at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and other international events.
Neeraj Chopra is not only a champion athlete but also a role model and an inspiration for millions of Indians, especially the youth. He has shown that with dedication, discipline and determination, anything is possible. He has also brought pride and glory to the nation and made India a force to reckon with in world athletics.
Table of Games played by Neeraj Chopra
| Year | Event | Venue | Medal | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | South Asian Games | Guwahati, India | Gold | 82.23 m |
| 2016 | World U20 Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | Gold | 86.48 m |
| 2017 | Asian Championships | Bhubaneswar, India | Gold | 85.23 m |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | Gold | 86.47 m |
| 2018 | Sotteville Athletics Meet | Sotteville-lès-Rouen, France | Gold | 85.17 m |
| 2018 | Savo Games | Lapinlahti, Finland | Gold | 85.69 m |
| 2018 | Asian Games | Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia | Gold | 88.06 m |
| 2018 | IAAF Continental Cup | Ostrava, Czech Republic | Gold | 80.24 m |
| 2021 | Tokyo Olympics | Tokyo, Japan | Gold | 87.58 m |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, USA | Silver | 89.94 m |
| 2023 | Lausanne Diamond League | Lausanne, Switzerland | Gold | 88.36 m |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | Gold | 88.77 m |
FAQ
Q: What is Neeraj Chopra’s age?
A: Neeraj Chopra is 25 years old as of 2022.
Q: What is Neeraj Chopra’s height and weight?
A: Neeraj Chopra is 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) tall and weighs 86 kg (190 lb).
Q: What is Neeraj Chopra’s rank in the Indian Army?
A: Neeraj Chopra is a Subedar in the Indian Army.
Q: What are Neeraj Chopra’s awards and honours?
A: Neeraj Chopra has received many awards and honours for his achievements, such as:
- Arjuna Award
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
- Padma Shri
- Vishisht Seva Medal
- Param Vishisht Seva Medal
- Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year nomination
Q: Who are Neeraj Chopra’s coaches?
A: Neeraj Chopra trains under various coaches, such as:
- Gary Calvert
- Naseem Ahmad
- Klaus Bartonietz
- Werner Daniels
- Uwe Hohn
- Raj Kumar
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post about Neeraj Chopra. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below. Thank you for your time and attention.