Olympic Gold medallist Neeraj Chopra rises to number 2 in world rankings

NEW DELHI: Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has gained 14 places to become world number two in the latest world rankings after his sensational show in the Tokyo Olympics.

Neeraj Chopra created history on August 7 as he became the first from the country to win a gold in track and field in the Olympics. He threw the javelin to a distance of 87.58m to pick the yellow metal at the Tokyo Games.

The 23-year-old athlete is only behind German athlete Johannes Vetter who has a 1396 score as per the latest update issued by World Athletics.

Meanwhile, Neeraj has a score of 1315 in men's javelin throw after his Tokyo Olympics gold. The star athlete's historic golden throw in the Olympics has been listed as one of the 10 magical moments of athletics (track and field) in the Tokyo Olympics by the World Athletics.

"Most keen followers of the sport had heard of Neeraj Chopra before the Olympic Games. But after winning the javelin in Tokyo, and in the process becoming India's first athletics gold medallist in Olympic history, Chopra's profile sky-rocketed," the World Athletics website read.

Neeraj had 143,000 followers on Instagram before the Olympics but now has a staggering 3.2 million, making him the most followed track and field athlete in the world.

"Still processing this feeling," he recently posted. "To all of India and beyond, thank you so much for your support and blessings that have helped me reach this stage. This moment will live with me forever."