Neeraj Chopra

Subedar Major

Neeraj Chopra

PVSM VSM

Chopra in December 2021
Personal information
Full name	Neeraj Chopra
Nickname	Sarpanch[1][2]
Nationality	Indian
Born	(1997-12-24) 24 December 1997 (age 26) Khandra, Haryana, India
Education	DAV College, Chandigarh
Years active	2010–present
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[3]
Weight	86 kg (190 lb)[4]
Military career
Allegiance	India
Service / branch	Indian Army
Years of service	2016–present
Rank	Subedar Major
Service number	JC-471869A[5]
Unit	4 Rajputana Rifles[6]
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Padma Shri Vishisht Seva Medal
Sport
Country	India
Sport	Athletics Track and field
Event	Javelin throw
Coached by	Klaus Bartonietz (2021–2024) Uwe Hohn (2018–2021) Gary Calvert (2016–2017) Kashinath Naik (2016) Naseem Ahmed (2011–2016) Jaiveer Singh (2010–2011)
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals	2020 2024
World finals	2023 2022
Regional finals	2016 2017 2018 2022
Commonwealth finals	2018
Highest world ranking	1 (11 May 2023)[7]
Personal bests	89.94 m NR (2022)[8] 86.48 m WJR (2016)
Medal record Men's javelin throw Representing  India Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 1 - World Championships 1 1 - Diamond League 1 2 - Commonwealth Games 1 - - Asian Games 2 - - Asian Championships 1 - - South Asian Games 1 - - Paavo Nurmi Games 1 1 - World U20 Championships 1 - - Asian U20 Championships 0 1 0 Total 10 6 0 Olympic Games 2020 Tokyo Javelin throw 2024 Paris Javelin throw World Championships 2023 Budapest Javelin throw 2022 Eugene Javelin throw Diamond League 2022 Zurich Javelin throw 2023 Eugene Javelin throw 2024 Brussels Javelin throw Commonwealth Games 2018 Gold Coast Javelin throw Asian Games 2018 Jakarta Javelin throw 2022 Hangzhou Javelin throw Asian Championships 2017 Bhubaneshwar Javelin throw South Asian Games 2016 Guwahati & Shillong Javelin throw Paavo Nurmi Games 2024 Turku Javelin throw 2022 Turku Javelin throw World U20 Championships 2016 Bydgoszcz Javelin throw Asian U20 Championships 2016 Ho Chi Minh City Javelin throw

Subedar Major Neeraj Chopra PVSM VSM (born 24 December 1997) is an Indian track and field athlete. Considered as the greatest Indian javelin thrower, he's a double medalist at the Olympics, World Championships, and the Asian Games. He has won the Diamond League once. Chopra won the gold medal at the 2020 Olympics, becoming the first Asian javelin throw athlete to do so.^[9] He became the first Asian to win a gold in javelin at the World Championships after his win in 2023. Chopra has won gold medals in every major tournament. He has a podium finish streak in 24 consecutive competitions, dating back to 2020.^[10] Since his performance at the 2016 World U20 Championship, he continues to hold the junior javelin throw world record.^[11]

Chopra is the first athletics gold medalist for India. As of 2024^[update], he is one of only two Indians to have won an individual Olympic gold medal, the youngest-ever Indian Olympic gold medalist in an individual event and the only individual to have won gold on his Olympic debut. He is one of the five individual multiple medalists for India at the Olympics after his silver medal at the 2024 Olympics. He was the first Indian to win at the World U-20 Championships, where he achieved a world U20 record throw of 86.48 m in 2016, becoming the first Indian athlete to set a world record in athletics.^[12]

Chopra's silver medal at the 2022 edition made him the second Indian athlete to win a medal at the World Championships. He has also won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and is a multiple Asian Games gold medalist. He won gold at the 2018 and 2022 Asian Games, while also serving as the flag-bearer in the former edition.^[13]

Since June 2021, he has shown consistent results, finishing as a winner or runner-up in 24 consecutive competitions, finishing first overall in qualifying rounds at two back-to-back Olympic Games, and first and second overall in qualifying rounds at two back-to-back World Championships.^[14]