Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Saturday became only the second Indian to win an individual gold in the Olympics, out-performing the field by quite a distance to notch up the first track-and-field Games medal for the country.
The 23-year-old farmer’’s son from Khandra village near Panipat in Haryana produced a second round throw of 87.58m in the finals to stun the athletics world and end India’’s 100-year wait for a track and field medal in the Olympics.
Chopra won the country’’s seventh medal and first gold in this Olympics and joined shooter Abhinav Bindra (2008 Beijing Games) as India’’s individual gold winners in the showpiece.
With this, the country surpassed the previous best haul of six medal achieved in the 2012 London Games.
Here are the best reactions:
Neeraj Chopra has won the #GOLD medal 🔥🔥🔥#IND have won their SECOND individual gold medal! #Tokyo2020
— #Tokyo2020 for India (@Tokyo2020hi) August 7, 2021
And Gold it is for @Neeraj_chopra1 .Take a bow, young man ! You have fulfilled a nation's dream. Thank you!
— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) August 7, 2021
Also, welcome to the club - a much needed addition! Extremely proud. I am so delighted for you.
THE KING BRINGS IT HOME 🇮🇳
— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) August 7, 2021
125 years of wait ends here in AFI's 75th year. We are speechless champion #NeerajChopra#Tokyo2020 #Athletics pic.twitter.com/w0WFmYTch7
what a way to finish india's campaign at #Tokyo2020 . Neeraj Chopra has won independent India's first track & field medal, only the second individual gold and it assures india's highest ever medal haul at an #Olympics with 7. HISTORY!
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) August 7, 2021
This is beyond unbelievable.... Beyond anything we could have imagined. Congratulations to @Neeraj_chopra1 @afiindia @Adille1 @manishamal thi sis what dreams are made of.... UNBELIEVABLE
— Heena SIDHU (@HeenaSidhu10) August 7, 2021
The wait is over! https://t.co/ld1Uq1pEf5 pic.twitter.com/mXvl0nXNis
— Balbir Singh Sr. (@BalbirSenior) August 7, 2021
Gold dekh liya aaj #Athletics mein bhagwan ke darshan ho gye 🙏🙏🙏
— Vinayak Padmadeo (@Padmadeo) August 7, 2021
Wow 👏👏👏👏 Amazing....🇮🇳🇮🇳 बहुत बहुत बधाई @Neeraj_chopra1 🥇 https://t.co/l56ha2VI1T
— Amit Panghal (@Boxerpanghal) August 7, 2021
HISTORY. MADE.
— Olympics (@Olympics) August 7, 2021
Neeraj Chopra of #IND takes #gold in the #Athletics men’s javelin final on his Olympic debut!
He is the first Indian to win an athletics medal and only the second to win an individual medal!@WorldAthletics | #StrongerTogether | #Tokyo2020 | @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/zBtzHNqPBE
Proud proud moment for India 🇮🇳 congratulations to whole country. Thank you for making us proud #NeerajChopra #goldmedal
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) August 7, 2021
#NeerajChopra you are a legend at 23! Don't have words. So proud and overwhelmed.
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) August 7, 2021
HISTORY!!
— Mihir Vasavda (@mihirsv) August 7, 2021
India's first medal in #athletics at the #Olympics is a #gold!
Neeraj Chopra wins Javelin Throw gold, becomes only second Indian to win individual gold after Abhinav Bindra in 2008. #Tokyo2020
#NeerajChopra winning gold medal 🥇 at #Tokyo2020 yahoooooo this is historical performance 👏✊🙌
— Sunandan Lele (@sunandanlele) August 7, 2021
NEERAJ CHOPRA!!!! @Neeraj_chopra1
— Saransh Gehlot (@saransh2703) August 7, 2021
INDIA'S GREATEST ATHLETICS MOMENT!!!!
WHAT A MOMENT!!!#Athletics #Javelin #JavelinThrow #Tokyo2020 #OlympicGames #Olympics #IND
GOLDEN BOY, GOLDEN MOMENT! 🏅
— Inspire Institute of Sport (@IIS_Vijayanagar) August 7, 2021
Neeraj Chopra writes his name into Sporting History, becoming the FIRST INDIAN to win a Track and Field medal at the #Olympics. AND IT'S GOLD! 🔥
INDIA, ERUPT, CRY, SCREAM, CELEBRATE! 🇮🇳#CraftingVictories #Tokyo2020 #NeerajChopra #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/MrAQVHA5Yu
What a day this is for Indian sports.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) August 7, 2021
One of the most significant days in the history of Indian sports.
First ever athletics medal and a #goldmedal at that. Super Proud ! #NeerajChopra you are a champion ! pic.twitter.com/SzyilzUrKk
@Neeraj_chopra1 congratulations man 🙌🙌🙌🥇🥇🥇 we are so happy and such a proud moment 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/Yoyl8QlCya
— sikkireddy (@sikkireddy) August 7, 2021
#Tokyo2020 #Olympics #Athletics @Neeraj_chopra1 becomes the first Indian athlete since independence to win an Olympic medal. And the icing on the cake is that it is GOLD pic.twitter.com/qUCrevDXbm
— Abhijeet Kulkarni (@abk6580) August 7, 2021
Finally, the national anthem in Tokyo. 🎶🇮🇳
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) August 7, 2021
The GOAT 🐐 @Neeraj_chopra1 😭
— Tejaswin Shankar (TJ) (@TejaswinShankar) August 7, 2021
We started with a silver on the first day by @mirabai_chanu and signed off with the historic athletics gold by @Neeraj_chopra1 👏👏 Glad to have witnessed this great day in Indian sports 👏👏 Thank you all sportspersons 🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/x0hcprkvzg
— Vijay Lokapally (@vijaylokapally) August 7, 2021
Milkha Singh's dying wish was to see an Indian win a gold medal in track and field at the Olympics. It has come just a little late but the Flying Sikh would have absolutely loved this moment. What an achievement for Neeraj and what a moment for India! pic.twitter.com/8mcXAkacDO
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) August 7, 2021
87.58
— Jigar Mehta (@jigsactin) August 7, 2021
Will remain a favourite and special number for a long time.#NeerajChopra #GOLD #Tokyo2020
Thank you @Neeraj_chopra1! Haven't been able to visit India since 2 years due to COVID-19 yet this is the closest I have felt home despite being in Australia. Thanks for the memories. #Olympics #NeerajChopra
— Devdutt Kshirsagar (@ddkshirsagar) August 7, 2021
History made by Neeraj
— Swapna Barman (@Swapna_Barman96) August 7, 2021
Congratulations 💐 pic.twitter.com/41aHOKVIxD
At the start of this #olympics Who could have thought that India would win a medal in hockey, Gold in Athletics, 4th in Golf!! This has been the best Olympics for India and will prove to be the start of new chapter in Olympic sports in India
— Heena SIDHU (@HeenaSidhu10) August 7, 2021