Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships when he nailed a big throw of 88.17 metre in the final of the men's javelin on Sunday. Chopra won Olympic gold in Tokyo but managed only a silver at the worlds in Eugene last year. However, he finally bagged the yellow metal pipping Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem. Nadeem, coming back from elbow surgery and a knee injury, produced his season's best effort of 87.82 on his third attempt to win the silver medal, while the Czech Republic's Jakub Vadlejch took the bronze with 86.67. Chopra, who registered a foul in his first effort in the final, took the lead in the second attempt, and then immediately turned his back and celebrated in his trademark fashion with his arms aloft while pointing at the sky immediately after his throw, knowing it was good. 88.17 Meters for 🥇 Neeraj Chopra becomes 1st 🇮🇳 athlete to win a gold medal at the #WorldAthleticsChampionships 😍 Watch the best of #Budapest23 - FREE only on #JioCinema ✨#WAConJioCinema pic.twitter.com/le562o9zp2 — JioCinema (@JioCinema) August 27, 2023 WHAT A THROW! 🚀#NeerajChopra launches a huge 88.17m throw in his second attempt to take the lead in #WACBudapest23. 🤩#Budapest23 #Javelin #CraftingVictories 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/S8eurzZ2iJ — Inspire Institute of Sport (@IIS_Vijayanagar) August 27, 2023 Before Chopra's feat, the only other Indian to win a medal at the worlds was Anju Bobby George, who took bronze in the women's long jump in 2003 in Paris.
