Neeraj Chopra

India's first Olympic athletics gold medalist.

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.

Right-handed thrower with exceptional technique, known for consistency and ability to perform under pressure

India's greatest javelin thrower and track and field pioneer

• 2020 Olympic gold javelin
• 2024 Olympic silver javelin
• 2023 World champ javelin
• Commonwealth gold 2018