Subedar Neeraj Chopra PVSM VSM, born December 24, 1997, is an Indian track and field athlete who is the current Olympic and World champion in the Men's Javelin Throw. He is the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in javelin, as well as the first to win gold at the World Championship.
Chopra is India's first track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. He is also India's first track and field athlete to win the global Under-20 Championships, where he set a global U20 record throw of 86.48 m in 2016, making him the first Indian athlete to do so.
Neeraj Chopra Background
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Birth | 24th December 1997 |
| Age | 24 years |
| Height | 5 feet 11 inches |
| Weight | 86 kg |
| Profession |
Sportsperson (Javelin Throw) Junior Commissioned Officer at the Rajputana Rifles |
Born into a Haryanvi Ror family in Khandra, Panipat, Haryana, Neeraj Chopra grew up in an agriculturally-focused household with two sisters. He attended BVN Public School and graduated from Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College in Chandigarh. As of 2021, he was enrolled in Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, Punjab, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree. Following his successful performance at the South Asian Games, the Indian Army immediately appointed Chopra as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in the Rajputana Rifles, with the rank of Naib Subedar. Chopra joined under the sports quota.
Career Background
Image Source: Twitter
Chopra's early training took place at the Panipat Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre, where he trained under the guidance of javelin thrower Akshay Choudhary. Choudhary, impressed by Chopra's natural talent, became his first coach. After securing his first medal, a bronze at the district championships, Chopra convinced his family to allow him to stay in Panipat to focus on his training. He later moved to the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula, where he trained under coach Naseem Ahmad and refined his techniques by studying videos of Czech champion Jan Zelezny.
International Breakthrough
Chopra's dedication paid off in 2012 when he clinched gold at the National Junior Athletics Championships in Lucknow with a record throw of 68.40 meters. In 2013, he entered his first international competition at the World Youth Championships in Ukraine. He won his first international medal, a silver, at the 2014 Youth Olympics Qualification in Bangkok. In 2015, he set a new junior world record with a throw of 81.04 meters, marking his first throw over 80 meters.National Recognition
Chopra's consistent performances earned him a spot in the national training camp in 2016 at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala. Training with national-level athletes and under coach Kashinath Naik significantly honed his skills. He achieved a personal best throw of 82.23 meters at the 2016 South Asian Games and began training under Australian coach Gary Calvert. That year, he won gold at the IAAF World U20 Championships in Poland with a world junior record of 86.48 meters. Despite missing the 2016 Rio Olympics due to injury and timing, Chopra continued to excel. He won gold at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships and trained with Werner Daniels in Germany. In 2018, Chopra made history by winning gold at both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, setting new national records.Injury and Recovery
In 2019, Chopra underwent elbow surgery, which sidelined him from the World Championships. He resumed training in South Africa and returned to competition in 2020 with a qualifying throw for the Tokyo Olympics. Despite the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Chopra continued to train diligently at NIS Patiala and Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.Tokyo 2020 Olympics
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Chopra won gold in the men's javelin throw with a throw of 87.58 meters, becoming the first Indian to win an Olympic gold in athletics. His victory contributed to India's best-ever Olympic performance with a total of seven medals.Other Achievements
In 2022, Chopra set new personal and national records at the Paavo Nurmi Games and Stockholm Diamond League. He won a historic silver medal at the World Championships in Oregon and first place at the Lausanne Diamond League, qualifying for the Zürich Final. In 2023, he continued his winning streak, clinching gold at the Doha Diamond League and the 2023 World Athletics Championships, and ranking first in the men's javelin throw by World Athletics.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | World U18 Championships | Donetsk, Ukraine | 19th (q) | 66.75 m |
| 2015 | Asian Championships | Wuhan, China | 9th | 70.50 m |
| 2016 | South Asian Games | Guwahati, India | 1st place, gold medalist | 82.23 m |
| 2016 | Asian U20 Championships | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | 2nd place, silver medalist | 77.60 m |
| 2016 | World U20 Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 1st place, gold medalist | 86.48 m WU20R |
| 2017 | Asian Championships | Bhubaneswar, India | 1st place, gold medalist | 85.23 m |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 15th (q) | 82.26 m |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 1st place, gold medalist | 86.47 m |
| 2018 | Asian Games | Jakarta, Indonesia | 1st place, gold medalist | 88.06 m NR |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 1st place, gold medalist | 87.58 m |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, OR, United States | 2nd place, silver medalist | 88.13 m |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 1st place, gold medalist | 88.17 m |
| 2023 | Asian Games | Hangzhou, China | 1st place, gold medalist | 88.88 m |
Awards and Recognition
Image Source: Twitter
National Awards:
- Arjuna Award – 2018
- Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) – 2020 Republic Day honours
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award – 2021 (highest sporting honour of India)
- Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) - 2022 Republic Day honours
- Padma Shri (fourth highest civilian honour) - 2022 Republic Day honours
Other Recognitions:
- The Times of India TOISA Sportsperson of the Year: 2021
- Army Sports Institute (ASI) stadium of Pune cantonment renamed "Neeraj Chopra Stadium" by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 27 August 2021
- Switzerland Tourism appointed Neeraj Chopra as its Friendship Ambassador
Ribbon Bar:
- Param Vishisht Seva Medal
- Padma Shri
- Vishisht Seva Medal
- 75th Independence Anniversary Medal
Neeraj Chopra's Net Worth
Neeraj Chopra, who took home a gold medal from the Olympics in Tokyo, is thought to be worth around $4 million, or INR 33.24 crore. His income is derived from prize money, government awards, and endorsement deals.
Leading Brands Supported by: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Visa, JSW Group.
Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: List of qualified Indian players
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