Neeraj Chopra has made it to the finals with a massive throw of 88.77m at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest, Hungary on Friday. He has also qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024. India has not won a gold medal in this championship till date.
Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who won the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, is now eyeing the title of the World Athletics Championships 2023. Last year Neeraj had to settle for silver in this tournament. The javelin throw final match of the World Athletics Championships 2023 will be held on 27 August at 11.45 pm according to Indian time.
Neeraj Chopra throws 88.77m in World Athletic Championship and qualifies for Paris Olympics 2024
Video: Indian Institute of Sports #NeerajChopra #WorldAthleticsChampionships2023 pic.twitter.com/1g1tsmrOXE— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) August 25, 2023
The 25-year-old Chopra's qualifying round lasted just a few minutes as he sent the spear to his season's and fourth career-best distance. He was competing in the Group A qualification round. Not only this, he has also reached the top of the table. Notably, no one else in his group managed to clock the qualification mark of 83.00m. Chopra is a contender for the gold medal in the World Athletics Championships 2023.
NEERAJ CHOPRA QUALIFIED INTO PARIS OLYMPICS 2024...!!!! 🇮🇳
The Golden boy, The Pride of India.#NeerajChopra #ParisOlympics2024 pic.twitter.com/5RWKq0lnnt— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) August 25, 2023
Meanwhile, another Indian player DP Manu made a throw of 72.40m in his third attempt. His best was 81.31m. Although Manu has not been able to achieve the qualifying mark, but he is at number three from Group-A. A total of 37 javelin throwers, divided into two groups - A and B - are competing in the qualifiers for a place in the 12-man final. The automatic qualifying mark is 83.00m.
Earlier, Neeraj Chopra created history in the Tokyo Olympic Games 2021 after winning the historic gold medal. Not only this, he became the first Indian athlete to win Olympic gold in athletics with a throw of 87.58m. In addition, he got the gold medal for the country in the prestigious Diamond League in Zurich. His goal is to maintain this continuity in the Paris Olympic Games, which are to be held in 2024.