Sports

Watch: It's India's moment in Tokyo...Indian tricolour flies high with a sparkling Gold!

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

A new history was written at the end of the Tokyo Olympics. A new champion was born for India in hundred years and new hope is found to shine in the track and field sporting events in the Olympics. 23-year-old javelin athlete Neeraj Chopra is now sparkling with Gold across India when the country had starved for hearing the national anthem at the highest level of the medal podium. As the tricolour flies high in Tokyo, the entire country has taken a break from the decades-long debacles in athletics to celebrate the golden and historical moment. 

Neeraj Chopra has on Saturday accomplished India's golden dream, one day ahead of the conclusion of the Tokyo Olympics. Chopra, a native of Haryana and the son of a farmer, has become India's son after winning the Gold medal in the 2021 Olympics and carving a history. It has become the first Olympic Gold medal for the country in 12 years and a first-ever athletics gold for India - guess how the celebrations would be. It has been the medal India waited for and chased by athletes like Milkha Singh, PT Usha, and Anju Bobby George for hundred years. 

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. 

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. 

After bracing up setbacks and disappointments during the course of the Olympics with debacles from some of the much-expected athletes, India had its moment on Saturday and the entire nation was watching the glorious triumph from Neeraj Chopra and celebrated the moment when India's National Anthem was played for the first time ever on the Athletics podium at the Olympics. It was iconic to watch Chopra stepping up on the dreaming place of every athlete at the medal podium. It's indeed an astonishing sight where Chopra wore the Gold medal and the national anthem was played at the world's biggest sporting event.

With a golden achievement, India has stood high with the hope that it can taste the medals in the track and field events. Every corner of the country has been celebrating and relishing the remarkable history from a tenacious athlete. Chopra has become one of the only two Indians to win an individual Gold medal at the Olympics. The other one being shooter Abhinav Bindra, who won the Gold at the 2008 Beijing Games. Moments after Chopra had won the Gold, Bindra had written a congratulatory note to Chopra, welcoming him to the club. 

Bindra said, "Many congratulations on becoming India's second Olympic gold medallist. To win a gold at the grandest sporting event in the world, which is held once every four years, is in itself so improbable that less than 3% of 11,707 athletes competing in Tokyo will end up with one. Add it to the weight of expectations from an extremely proud nation starved of Olympic success, and your achievement becomes even more memorable." 

Bindra further said, "Javelin throw might not be the most followed sporting discipline in India but your historic achievement has brought it to the limelight, capturing the imagination of billions watching at home. The impact your victory will create on promoting your sport amongst the country's youth is immeasurable." "Also, welcome to the club. It is not the most happening of places and needs more members, but I feel your entry is going to pave the way for many more deserving athletes", Bindra added.

Reputed Indian track and field athlete PT Usha had thanked Neeraj Chopra for realizing her unfinished dream. Taking to Twitter, Usha wrote, "Realised my unfinished dream today after 37 years. Thank you, my son @Neeraj_chopra1 #Tokyo2020." Besides being filled with incessant commendations from the national leaders, Neeraj Chopra has been flooded with accolades and recognitions from several state governments that are announcing prize amounts. Chopra has also been serving in the Indian army and the government of his home state Haryana has announced Rs 6 crore prize amount for honouring his contribution to the country. 

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has announced a special cash reward of Rs 2 crore for Neeraj Chopra while Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh has also announced a reward of Rs 1 crore to the Gold medallist. BCCI had announced Rs 1 crore reward for Chopra and he said that he is dedicating the Gold medal for legendary athlete Milkha Singh, who passed away recently. Singh was dreamt of winning a medal in Olympic athletics which was now fulfilled by Neeraj Chopra. 
 

 

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