Neeraj Chopra rises to second spot in world rankings after Olympic gold
At the Tokyo Games, Neeraj threw a monster 87.58 metres to clinch the gold and became India's second individual gold medallist at the Olympic Games.
Neeraj Chopra raises his arm in celebration after being crowned Olympic champion in men's javelin throw at Tokyo 2020. AP
Neeraj Chopra's phenomenal show at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games ensured he gained 14 places in the world rankings.
Neeraj, who won gold in javelin throw, India's first medal in track and field events, is currently ranked second with a score of 1315. Germany's Johannes Vetter, who missed out on a medal at the Olympic Games, still holds the top spot with a score of 1396.
Before the current rankings were revealed, Neeraj was ranked 16th in the world.
At the Tokyo Games, Neeraj threw a monster 87.58 metres to clinch the gold and became India's second individual gold medallist at the Olympic Games.
, Olympic GOLD medalist and now the World No. 2!
Only Johannes Vetter is ahead of him, by 81 points.#CraftingVictories pic.twitter.com/xrb8eEN3NM
— Inspire Institute of Sport (@IIS_Vijayanagar) August 11, 2021
While strong favourite Vetter finished ninth in the final, Neeraj threw better than two athletes from the Czech Republic to finish atop the podium. Jakub Vadlejch took silver with a best mark of 86.67 meters and former world champion Vitezslav Vesely won the bronze with a throw of 85.44.
"It feels unbelievable. It is the first time India has won a gold in athletics, so I feel very good. We have just one gold here in other sports. Milkha Singh wanted to hear the national anthem in a stadium. He is no longer with us but his dream has been fulfilled," Neeraj said after his historic triumph.
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With six hurls of a javelin, Neeraj Chopra conquers Mount Olympus
A country of over a billion waits 4,743 days—or 157 months or 13 years—for another individual Olympics gold! And then, on a clear, but humid Tokyo evening, in six hurls of a spear weighing 800 grams, a 23-year-old goes where even gods of India’s sporting pantheon have not been: to the top of the Olympics mountain.