Indian · Khandra, Haryana, India · Born 24 December 1997India's golden boy — Olympic champion, world record holder and the man who gave India its first track and field Olympic gold.
Neeraj Chopra was born in Khandra, Haryana, India in 1997. He grew up in a farming family. He enlisted in the Indian Army where his athletic talent was identified and developed. His Olympic gold medal in javelin at Tokyo 2021 was India's first-ever Olympic gold medal in a track and field event — and only the second individual Olympic gold in India's Olympic history, after Abhinav Bindra's shooting gold in 2008. The celebrations in India generated national attention unprecedented for a track and field athlete. He threw 87.58m in the Olympic final — a personal best. He won the World Championship in 2023 with a throw of 88.17m. He won silver at Paris 2024 with a throw of 89.45m — a personal best. He has been named India's most popular athlete repeatedly in public surveys. His combination of technical javelin throwing — his run-up, release angle and speed through the arc — with the cultural significance of his achievements in a cricket-dominated sporting culture has made him the most important Indian athlete in Olympic sport in the modern era.
First Indian to win Olympic gold in track and field
How They Played
Right-handed thrower with exceptional technique, known for consistency and ability to perform under pressure
Lasting Impact
India's greatest javelin thrower and track and field pioneer
Career Honours
- Olympic Gold (Tokyo 2021)
- World Champion (2023)
- Diamond League winner (2022)
- Olympic Silver (Paris 2024)
Indian Athletes