Neeraj Chopra, born in Haryana, is an Indian track and field athlete. Chopra holds many records; he is the first Indian Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal and World Championship gold in javelin. He was a star even before competing at the senior level, as he broke the world record to win the World U20 Championships in 2016. As of 2024, he’s one of two Indians to win an Olympic gold medal in individual sports, with the other being Abhinav Bindra.
MEDAL RECORDS
| Tournament |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympics | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| World Championships | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Diamond League | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Asian Games | 2 | 0 | 0 |
About Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj was born and brought up in Khandra village by Satish Kumar and Saroj Devi. A farmer by occupation, Satish raised Neeraj along with his two sisters in Panipat, Haryana. Bullied due to being overweight as a child, he was enrolled in a gymnasium by his father. His love affair with the sport began at Shivaji Stadium in Panipat, where he saw some javelin throwers in action for the first time and picked up a javelin himself.
Paris Olympics News
Major Achievements
Neeraj Chopra’s list of achievements is so big that a couple of lines won’t suffice. The 26-year-old has also claimed a gold medal at the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games twice, Commonwealth Games, Asian Championships, South Asian Games, and World Junior Championships.
Awards and Recognitions
- 2018: Arjuna Award
- 2020: Vishisht Seva Medal
- 2021: Khel Ratna Award
- 2022: Param Vishisht Seva Medal
- 2022: Padma Shri
Road to Paris Olympics 2024
Qualifying Events
Neeraj Chopra made it to the Paris Olympics 2024 with a massive throw of 88.77m at the World Championships 2023. The qualification standard for the Olympics was kept at 85.50m.
Neeraj Chopra Pictures
Training and Preparation
To ensure he is in prime position when he reaches Paris for the 2024 Olympics, the 26-year-old has been trying to maintain a perfect balance between match readiness and rest. He’s played just three events so far in 2024. He won gold in two: the Federation Cup and the Paavo Nurmi Games.
Neeraj couldn’t defend his Doha Diamond League and settled for a second place. He’s missed the Marrakech, Eugene, Oslo, and Stockholm Diamond Leagues and will miss the Paris Diamond League, which starts on July 7 as well. Neeraj has decided to train in Europe under his coach Klaus Bartonietz and physio Ishaan Marwaha’s supervision.
Events at Paris Olympics 2024
| Date | Rounds | Time | Venue |
| 3 August | Group A | 10:40 PM | Stade de France |
| 3 August | Group B | 11:40 PM | Stade de France |
| 6 August | Qualification Group A | 1:50 PM | – |
| 6 August | Qualification Group B | 3:20 PM | – |
| 8 August | Final | 11:55 PM | Stade de France |
Quotes and Interviews
Future Prospects
On August 8, at the age of 26, Neeraj Chopra could already be a 2-time Olympic gold medalist. If he does so, he’ll become India’s greatest-ever Olympic athlete. Only two Indians have claimed two medals at the Games, and neither has won a gold.
With age on his side, the javelin star has a chance to play in at least two more Olympics. Of course, he also has the chance to win many more medals at the Diamond Leagues, World Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.
