New Delhi [India], December 24 (ANI): India’s ace javelin thrower, two-time Olympic medalist and former world champion Neeraj Chopra, celebrates his birthday on Wednesday as he turns 28.
Born on 24 December 1997 in Khandra village, Panipat district, Haryana, he has introduced immense pleasure to the Nation and the Armed Forces by means of his outstanding worldwide athletic achievements.
The star javelin thrower made historical past as the primary Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in monitor and discipline on the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
He continued his stellar efficiency by profitable a silver medal on the Paris Olympics in 2024 and a gold medal on the World Athletics Championships in 2023, changing into the primary Indian to turn out to be a world champion in athletics.
He has additionally secured a number of gold medals on the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Diamond League occasions. His private greatest throw of 90.23 metres (2025) stands as a milestone in Indian sporting historical past.
This yr, Neeraj’s beautiful 26-event run of ending within the high two on the rostrum got here to an finish on a heartbreaking notice with an Eighth-place end throughout his world title defence on the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.
Aside from this uncommon setback, the Indian famous person has loved a profitable 2025 season. He took the highest honours within the inaugural version of the Neeraj Chopra Classic, a contest named after him at Sri Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium in Bengaluru in July.
The then-javelin throw champion stood triumphant with 86.18m. Neeraj kickstarted the season with a win on the Potch Invitational in Potchefstroom, South Africa, in April and adopted it up with a really particular second-place end at Doha Diamond League in May, the place he crossed the 90-metre mark for the primary time, with a throw of 90.23 m.
He additionally went on to safe a second spot within the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland later that month and resumed his profitable methods with back-to-back titles at Paris Diamond League and Ostrava Golden Spike, with greatest efforts of 88.16 m and 85.29 m.
In late August, Chopra’s streak of high two finishes at occasions continued as he secured the second spot with one of the best throw of 85.01 m through the Diamond League ultimate in Zurich.
In October, the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formally conferred the Honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel within the Territorial Army upon Chopra through the pipping ceremony at South Block, New Delhi.
Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi and different senior officers of the Indian Army and Territorial Army have been current on the event.
Chopra was additionally conferred with the Padma Shri, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal. (ANI)