Track and field tragics and those who fell in love with javelin throw since Neeraj Chopra made history at the Tokyo Olympics nearly a year ago have been keenly watching the 24-year-old with floppy hair, a trademark tumble and a golden arm. Instead of sitting on his laurels, Chopra has gone from strength to strength by breaking the national record twice last month with two 89 m plus throws. Thursday night’s 89.94 m in the first round at the prestigious Diamond League in Stockholm had everyone on the edge of their seats in anticipation of him touching 90 m. Chopra has shown his Olympic gold was no flash in the pan. His consistency in an injury-prone sport makes it worth travelling hundreds of miles to watch him live. In his first three competitions this season, Chopra has thrown over 85 m in eight of his 10 legal throws, which is akin to an Indian regularly running sub-10 seconds in the 100 m.
Chopra is a rare athlete with a calm head and no signs of fraying nerves on big occasions. At the Olympic Games, he outclassed the 97 m thrower, Germany’s Johannes Vetter. This year Chopra has the upper hand going to the World Championships in Eugene in three weeks’ time after bettering the defending world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada twice and only narrowly being edged out the third time. Chopra allayed fears of those who thought he would struggle to get back in shape after two months of felicitations around the country after the gold in Tokyo.
If Chopra also becomes a world champion, it will mark the first time any male has held both titles simultaneously since Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen way back in 2009. Thorkildsen followed in the footsteps of the legendary Czech Jan Železný, a three time Olympic champion. The good news is Chopra is primed for a 90 m throw and another podium finish.
