Sports

First Gold for India...Neeraj Chopra accomplished the Golden dream and ends 100 years of wait!

By alagu, 07 August, 2021
Tokyo Olympics 2021, Olympics, India

Finally, India's Golden dream was accomplished one day ahead of the conclusion of the Tokyo Olympics. Neeraj Chopra has become India's new  Olympic hero after winning the Gold medal in the 2021 Olympics and carving a history. Chopra's historical triumph has come when the country was starving for Gold and he has presented the first Olympic Gold medal for India after 12 years. India had lastly won gold in the 2008 games while the Indian contingent had returned back to the country with the silver and bronze medals from the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. 

The ongoing Olympics season was also driving in a fashion that India won't win a Gold medal. However, Neeraj Chopra had accomplished the Golden dream of the nation through his historic win of winning the first gold. Neeraj Chopra has etched history by ending the 100 years of wait for India to win a Gold medal from the track and field. It was indeed a wait for a century and Neeraj Chopra rose to a turning point for India and when the country was expecting a Gold, he watered the 100-year thirst in winning the Gold medal. 

Through 23-year-old javelin throw athlete Neeraj Chopra, India has won the first medal in track and field events since Norman Pritchard won two silvers during the 1900 Olympics. Over the years, a pile of track and field athletes like Milkha Singh, PT Usha, and Anju Bobby George have come close to the podium but fell short of a medal finish. All these waits were ended by Neeraj Chopra today by making a glorious feat in the history of the Olympics. 

Chopra had fuelled the country's expectations by topping the qualification round with a stunning first-round throw of 86.59m. Chopra's performance on Saturday was one of the best performances by an Indian in the Olympics, as he finished ahead of the gold medal winner and 2017 world champion Johannes Vetter of Germany. Vetter had earlier claimed that Chopra will find it tough to beat him in the Olympics and the German had struggled in his first two throws before crossing the automatic qualification mark with an 85.64m final throw. 

28-year-old Vetter was at a dangerous seventh position after his first two throws but he had managed to get qualified for the final at second overall behind Chopra. By winning the gold, Neeraj Chopra had carved a history of becoming the first Gold medallist of India on the track and field event since the country began to participate in the Olympics. Though Norman Pritchard was born in Kolkata, he was a British-Indian, and India had begun participating in the Olympics from 1920. 

Three track and field athletes were part of the five-member Indian team at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium and the other two being wrestlers. However, no medals were won by India on the track and field sports and Neeraj Chopra was the first to win gold for India at the Olympics. Chopra had made his Olympic debut in the 2021 Tokyo Games and he also had become the first Indian athlete to win the Gold medal at the debut tournament.  

After the qualifying round on Wednesday, Chopra said, "I am at my first Olympic Games and I feel very good. In the warm-up, my performance wasn't so good, but then in the qualifying round, my first throw had a good angle and was a perfect throw. I will need to focus on the throw, and try to repeat this performance with a higher score." His javelin-piercing show was incredible on the finals on Saturday as he assured the Gold for India through the best throw of 87.58m in the finals while the compatriots from the Czech Republic Vadlejch and Vesely had won Silver and Bronze for their throws of 86.67m and 85.44m respectively. 

Chopra, a farmer's son from Khandra village near Panipat in Haryana, has now become India's son through his spectacular and historical victory. Through Neeraj Chopra's medal, India has so far won seven medals at the Tokyo Olympics - One Gold, Two Silvers, and Four Bronzes- the country's highest ever, beating the tally of six medals won at the London Games in 2012. Currently, India stands at the 47th rank in the Olympics medal tally and the celebrations had begun in the country after Chopra had presented the Gold, exactly one day ahead of the conclusion of the current edition of the world's biggest sporting event. 

President Ram Nath Kovind took to Twitter and wrote, "Unprecedented win by Neeraj Chopra! Your javelin gold breaks barriers and creates history. You bring home the first-ever track and field medal to India in your first Olympics. Your feat will inspire our youth. India is elated! Heartiest congratulations!" Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "History has been scripted at Tokyo! What @Neeraj_chopra1 has achieved today will be remembered forever. The young Neeraj has done exceptionally well. He played with remarkable passion and showed unparalleled grit. Congratulations to him for winning the Gold."

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu took to Twitter and wrote, "What an incredible achievement! @Neeraj_chopra1 scripted history & brought glory to India by winning the Gold medal in the Javelin throw at Tokyo Olympics. His outstanding feat has ended a long wait by India for an Olympic medal in track & field events." Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar said, "India shines brighter today because of you, Neeraj. Your javelin carried the tricolour all the way and made it flutter with the pride of every Indian. What a moment for Indian sport!"

 

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