5 Lesser Known Facts about Indian Javelin Legend Neeraj Chopra -

March 12, 2025

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5 Lesser Known Facts about Indian Javelin Legend Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj Chopra, is certainly as legend who inspired next generation of athletes to take up this popular sport.

Chopra falls in the category of rare Indian male athletes to win back to back medals for the country in successive Olympics.

He won Olympic Gold medal in Tokyo 2020 Olympics, followed by Silver Medal in Paris Olympics 2024 respectively despite not being 100 percent fit.

Neeraj Chopra’s achievement and public life is out there for everyone to experience, but personal space there are several news and updates which still needs to be discussed to be shared in the below format:

1. Neeraj inclination lies towards becoming photographer if he would haven’t become an athlete, he would pursued a career in Photography. He gave an interview with Lucknow Times to which he stated “He would love to become a professional photographer”

He stated his story in distinct media outlet- that he became Professional athlete in order to overcome his obesity so he opted for physical sport and saw this game got attracted to it and eventually there was no looking thereafter.

2. Despite Neeraj mostly spending life outside India for training purpose, Chopra likes eating home cooked food.

Neeraj Chopra, Paris Olympics

He said in one of the media outlets, that he likes eating “Namkeen Chawal Makhan dalkar khana pasand hain mujhe bas” .

3. Chopra is addicted with Tea, he said that “He is purely Desi Person at heart and likes drinking chai all the time and keep control on his tea drinking habits”.

4. Chopra’s favorite actress is none other than Harry Poter fame actress Emma Watson he stated in one of his interview “When I was Kid, I love watching Harry Potter Movie and loved Hermoine Granzer character portrayed by Emma Watson”.

5. Neeraj Chopra studied from Dayanand Anglo Vedic(DAV College) before joining Indian Army. Post joining Army he dropped out from school

Chopra’s Journey from Humble beginning to India’s biggest Javelin superstar is commendable.

My Perspective:

Neeraj Chopra is pretty humble, what separates him from other athlete is his ability to not withstand on any laurels instead of focusing on the existing ones.

You would always see Chopra training hard for next competition once the Olympics is done & dusted his focus immediately shift towards next bigger event.

Chopra’s breakthrough moment came at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, where he set a new world junior record and won a gold medal with a throw of 86.48 meters.

Neeraj Chopra, Paris Diamond League, Paris Olympics

He became a rising star in Indian sports as a result of this accomplishment. Winning gold medals at the 2018 Asian and Commonwealth Games, he further solidified his place among the world’s best javelin throwers as he kept developing.

With a best attempt of 87.58 meters, Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal in javelin throw at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021 due to the pandemic), marking a turning point in his career. He became the first Indian track and field athlete to win with this triumph.

Neeraj maintained his supremacy in international competitions after his Olympic victory, taking home gold at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and silver at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

He is among the most renowned athletes in India because of his perseverance and commitment. In addition to being a national hero, Neeraj Chopra serves as an inspiration for aspiring athletes. His rise from a small Haryana village to international fame is a testament to his diligence, tenacity, and dedication to sporting greatness.

Chopra is a track and field athlete from India who is well-known throughout the world for throwing the javelin. Neeraj, who was born in Khandra village, Haryana, on December 24, 1997, had a keen interest in sports from a young age and began throwing javelins as a teenager. From an early age, his talent was apparent, and he advanced through Indian athletics’ ranks swiftly.