Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra becomes first ever Indian world champion in athletics

18-year-old javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra  becomes the first Indian athlete to be a world champion at any level when he covered a distance of 86.84 meters at the U-20 World Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

From Khandara village in Haryana, Chopra started to aim for Rio qualification since the South Asian Games this year. But could not qualify because of a back injury that held him back. The entry standard for Rio Olympics men's javelin was set at 83m and the deadline of July 11 has already passed.

Competing at the World Championship, Chopra broke the record currently held by Zigismunds Simais from Latvia by 2 meters. His mark also makes for National record bettering his personal best at 82.23 meters set at the South Asian Games.

Chopra threw the javelin to mark 79.66 in the first attempt. This kept him at the second place. At the second attempt, he hurled the javelin at 86.48 meters, a massive mark no other competitor was able to cover. In the third attempt, he threw a 78.69 meter to be crowned the champion.

"I was hoping to throw far but I never expected to throw over 86 metres and break the world Under-20 record," Chopra said after his sensational effort. "My target was to qualify for the Olympics but I did not make it. My other goal was to win at the World Under-20 Championships," he added.

According to reports in Indian Express, this throw puts Chopra in the top 10 throwers this year, even ahead of defending Olympic gold medalist Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago.

(With PTI inputs)