Neeraj Chopra won gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
India's star javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra, who clinched a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, became the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win two consecutive Olympic medals. His remarkable achievement was celebrated across the nation, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the chorus of congratulations.
In a conversation with Mr Chopra, PM Modi said, "Many, many congratulations to you, Neeraj. You have once again made the country proud. Last night, even at 1 am, crores of people were watching you with hope."
Mr Chopra said that he could not push himself fully because of his injuries and the competition was tough. "I am still happy to get a medal for my country in these circumstances. There are ups and downs in sport," he added.
Mr Chopra's silver medal came after a fiercely contested fight, where Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meteres, securing his country's first-ever individual Olympic gold. Despite Mr Nadeem's stellar performance, Mr Chopra held his ground with a formidable throw of 89.45 metres in the second round, earning him the silver medal.
PM Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his admiration for the Haryana-born MrChopra. "Neeraj Chopra is excellence personified! Time and again he's shown his brilliance. India is elated that he comes back with yet another Olympic success," he wrote, "He will continue to motivate countless upcoming athletes to pursue their dreams and make our nation proud."
Mr Chopra won gold at the Tokyo Olympics.