Subedar Neeraj Chopra PVSM VSM is an Indian track and field athlete, who is the reigning Olympic champion and World champion in Men’s javelin throw. He is the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in javelin and the first Asian to win gold in his event at the World Championship. A Junior Commissioned Officer Subedar (JCO) in the Indian Army, Chopra is the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal for India at the Olympics. He is also the first track and field athlete from India to win at the World Under-20 Championships, where in 2016 he achieved a world U20 record throw of 86.48 m, becoming the first Indian athlete to set a world record.
Chopra participated in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2018 Asian Games, serving as the flag-bearer in the latter and winning gold medals in both. As of 2023, he is one of only two Indians to have won an individual Olympic gold medal (the other being Abhinav Bindra), the youngest-ever Indian Olympic gold medalist in an individual event and the only individual to have won gold on his Olympic debut. His silver medal at the 2022 World Championships made him the second Indian to win a medal at a World Athletics Championships. He subsequently won the first gold for India at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and second gold at 2022 Asian Games. Chopra is the Indian record holder for the javelin throw.
Neeraj Chopra Details:
| Date of Birth | 24 December 1997 |
| Birthplace | Panipat, Haryana, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Ethnicity | Ror Maratha |
| Education | DAV College, Chandigarh, Bachelor of Arts from Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, Punjab |
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Age | 26 |
| Weight | 86 KG |
| Father | Satish Kumar |
| Mother | Saroj Devi |
| Sister(s) | Sangeeta and Sarita |
| Olympic Medals | 1 Gold Medal |
| Service/branch | Indian Army (2016-present) |
| Rank | Subedar |
| Service number | JC-471869A |
| Sport | Track and field |
| Occupation(s) | Javelin Thrower and Junior Commissioned Officer |
| Coached by | Uwe Hohn |
| Highest Record | NR 88.07 m (2021) |
Neeraj Chopra Early Life and Education:
Neeraj Chopra was born in a Haryanvi Ror family in Khandra, a village in Panipat, Haryana. He has two sisters and his family is largely involved in agriculture. He did his schooling from BVN Public School. He graduated from Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College in Chandigarh, and as of 2021, was pursuing a Bachelor of Arts from Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, Punjab.
Impressed with Chopra’s performance at the South Asian Games and his future potential, the Indian Army offered him a direct appointment as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in the Rajputana Rifles with the rank of Naib Subedar. He accepted the offer and joined the army under sports quota.
Neeraj Chopra Career:
Neeraj Chopra’s journey to becoming an elite javelin thrower began as a response to childhood teasing about his obesity. His father enrolled him in a gymnasium in Madlauda and later in Panipat, where Chopra discovered his talent for javelin throwing while watching athletes at Shivaji Stadium. Recognizing his potential, javelin thrower Akshay Choudhary became Chopra’s first coach after seeing him achieve a 40-meter throw effortlessly. With guidance from Choudhary and other experienced athletes, Chopra won his first medal, a bronze, in district championships, convincing his family to support his pursuit by allowing him to live in Panipat for better training opportunities.
Under the tutelage of coach Naseem Ahmad at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula, Chopra honed his skills, combining javelin training with long-distance running due to the lack of specialized javelin coaches. Despite initial limitations, Chopra’s talent blossomed, leading to notable achievements like breaking the national record with a throw of 68.40 meters and winning gold at the National Junior Athletics Championships. His journey continued with international success, including winning a silver at the Youth Olympics Qualification in Bangkok and breaking the junior world record with an 81.04-meter throw at the All India Inter-University Athletics meet in 2015. Transitioning to national-level training in Patiala in 2016 marked a pivotal moment in Chopra’s career, providing better facilities, nutrition, and training alongside top-tier javelin throwers, setting the stage for his ascent in the sport.
Neeraj Chopra’s journey as a javelin thrower saw significant milestones and challenges. Despite narrowly missing the Olympic qualifying mark, he achieved a personal best of 82.23 meters at the 2016 South Asian Games and set a world junior record of 86.48 meters at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships, becoming the first Indian to achieve a world record in athletics. However, due to a back injury and the cut-off date for the Olympics, he missed the 2016 Rio Olympics. Despite setbacks, Chopra persevered, training under Australian coach Gary Calvert before transitioning to the Sports Authority of India center in Bangalore.
In 2017, Chopra won gold at the Asian Athletics Championships but faced disappointment at the World Championships in London due to elimination before reaching the finals. A significant groin injury during the Zurich Diamond League further disrupted his season, leading him to withdraw from competition for the remainder of the year. Chopra attributed his injury partly to his heavy competition schedule and inadequate rest and diet. After recovery, he underwent training in Germany with coach Werner Daniels, focusing on strength training and refining his technique.
The year 2018 marked a turning point for Chopra’s career. He clinched gold at the Commonwealth Games and broke the national record again at the Doha Diamond League. At the Asian Games, Chopra secured another gold medal with a throw of 88.06 meters, setting a new national record and becoming India’s first gold medalist in the javelin throw at the Asian Games. He received recognition, including the Arjuna Award and a promotion in the army. In preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Chopra continued his training under German coach Uwe Hohn, focusing on refining his throwing technique.
Neeraj Chopra’s journey towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics faced several hurdles, including injury and the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He missed the 2019 World Championships due to bone spurs in his right elbow, which required surgery. After a period of recovery and rehabilitative training, he resumed international competition in January 2020, qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics with a throw of 87.86 meters in South Africa. However, the pandemic forced him to return to India from Turkey in March 2020, where he continued training at the NIS Patiala amid lockdown restrictions.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Chopra persisted in his preparation for the Olympics. He broke his own national record again in March 2021 with a throw of 88.07 meters, showcasing his determination and form ahead of the Games. However, obtaining visas for international training proved challenging, with his application to travel to Sweden initially rejected. Eventually, after intervention from government authorities, Chopra was able to travel to Europe for training, where he participated in competitions in Portugal and Sweden, winning gold and bronze medals respectively.
As the Tokyo Olympics approached, Chopra continued to fine-tune his skills and overcome logistical obstacles. Despite facing fatigue and visa difficulties for competitions like the Diamond League in the UK, he remained focused on his training in Uppsala, Sweden, ensuring he was in optimal condition for the Games. Chopra’s journey exemplifies resilience and dedication in the face of adversity, underscoring his determination to excel on the world stage.
Neeraj Chopra 2020 Tokyo Olympics Journey:
On 4 August 2021, Neeraj made his debut at the Olympics representing India at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the National stadium Japan, in Tokyo. For the preparation for Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj Chopra was trained under his German coach Uwe Hohn, biomechanics expert Klaus Bartonietz and physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha.
7 August 2021, Chopra won the gold medal in the final with a throw of 87.58 m in his second attempt, becoming the first Indian Olympian to win a gold medal in athletics, and the first post-independence Indian Olympic medalist in athletics.
Chopra became the second-ranked athlete internationally in the men’s javelin throw, per the World Athletics rankings for the discipline as well as became the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal after Abhinav Bindra.
Neeraj Chopra Achievements:
International competitions
- q − qualification round
- WU20R − world under-20 record
- NR − national record
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 1st place, gold medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 88.17 m |
| 2023 | Asian Games | Hangzhou, China | 1st place, gold medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 88.88 m |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, OR, United States | 2nd place, silver medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 88.13 m |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 1st place, gold medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 87.58 m |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 1st place, gold medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 86.47 m |
| 2018 | Asian Games | Jakarta, Indonesia | 1st place, gold medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 88.06 m NR |
| 2017 | Asian Championships | Bhubaneswar, India | 1st place, gold medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 85.23 m |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 15th (q) | Javelin throw | 82.26 m |
| 2016 | South Asian Games | Guwahati, India | 1st place, gold medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 82.23 m |
| 2016 | Asian U20 Championships | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | 2nd place, silver medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 77.60 m |
| 2016 | World U20 Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 1st place, gold medalist(s) | Javelin throw | 86.48 m WU20R |
| 2015 | Asian Championships | Wuhan, China | 9th | Javelin throw | 70.50 m |
| 2013 | World U18 Championships | Donetsk, Ukraine | 19th (q) | Javelin throw (700 g) | 66.7 |
Circuit wins and titles
- Diamond League javelin throw champion: 2022
- 2022: Lausanne Athletissima, Zürich Weltklasse
- 2023: Doha Diamond League (WL) Lausanne Athletissima
- 2023: Diamond League Final: Neeraj Chopra finishes Second
Other wins
- 2018 – Sotteville Athletics Meet, Savo Games
- 2021 – Meeting Cidade de Lisboa, Folksam Grand Prix
- 2022 – Kuortane Games
Neeraj Chopra Awards and Recognition:
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
- 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.
