Indian heavy-weight boxer Sanjeet Kumar is enough confident about his speed. The Cuban dominance in the sport of boxing is well maintained. Out of the 85 gold medals that the Caribbean country have won in the Olympics, the pugilists bagged 41 of them.

In fact, before Tokyo 2020 there were six Cuban boxers who had achieved gold medals in Olympic boxing. But Julio Cesar La Cruz, Roniel Iglesias, and Arlen Lopez upgraded it to nine by winning the yellow metal in their respective categories in Tokyo. 

Also read: Asian boxing championship winners From AABC 2021

In Rio, La Cruz had won gold in the light heavyweight category. In Tokyo's heavyweight final he defeated Russian boxer Muslim Gadzhimagomedov 5-0. However, in the ongoing World Championships, he remains the favourite to take the top position in the heavyweight category.

But there might be one Indian boxer who might challenge him in his tracks. Sanjeet Kumar definitely knows a thing or two about punching above his weight.

In the 2021 Asian Championship final, he astonished Rio silver-medallist Vassiliy Levit to win the match 3-2. The Kazakh-boxer who is forceful and ruthless was completely cozened in the first two rounds. Although he made a vigorous comeback in the third, it was too little too late.

Wherever Neeraj Chopra goes, he does not return empty-handed. This series started in 2016 when this rising star made a record for the first time at the Under-20 World Athletics Championships. From that day itself, we got a glimpse of the future to come, in which many records were to be made and broken one after the other.

On Friday night of 16 May, Neeraj maintained the same trend in Doha Diamond League 2025 and got his name registered in history, becoming the first Indian to breach the 90m mark in the sport. So, it's time we take a look at every Neeraj Chopra records that he has made in his tremendous career so far.

Also Read: Neeraj Chopra’s best throws: Here are all the top throws by javelin ace Neeraj Chopra

Every Neeraj Chopra records you should know

• First Indian to breach the 90m mark: Neeraj Chopra’s best throw is 90.23m, achieved at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025. The mark stands as the men’s national record in India and Neeraj Chopra’s personal best. It was the first time an Indian had breached the 90m-mark in the javelin.
• First Indian to win Olympic medal in athletics: At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Neeraj Chopra produced a historic performance in the men's javelin throw event. Neeraj won the gold medal in the final with a throw of 87.58m, giving India its first Olympic medal in athletics. With this win, Neeraj Chopra also became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in a track and field event at the Olympics.
• First Indian to win silver at World Athletics Championships: Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won a historic silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. He recorded a throw of 88.13m in his fourth attempt to claim the second spot. Chopra thus is the first Indian to win a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships and only the second medallist from the country after Anju Bobby George in 2003.
• First Indian track and field athlete to win world championship: Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. With this win, the then 18-year-old Neeraj became the first Indian track and field athlete to become a world champion in any event and any age level.
• First Indian World Record holder in track & field: Neeraj Chopra Threw 86.48m at the junior championships in Poland to win the title. With this, he set the new under-20 world record, beating the 84.69m mark established by the previous holder, Latvia's Zigismunds Sirmais. Neeraj’s 86.48m attempt at Bydgoszcz still stands as both the U20 world record as well as the U20 Asian record in the javelin throw.
• Indian national javelin throw record holder: Neeraj Chopra’s best attempt to date came at the Stockholm Diamond League 2022 in Sweden on June 30, 2022, where he managed his personal best of 89.94m to establish the new national record.
• First Indian to win javelin throw gold at Asian Games: Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian javelin thrower to win a gold medal at the Asian Games. Before him, Gurtej Singh was the only men’s javelin thrower from the country to win a medal – bronze at the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games. Neeraj threw  88.06m to claim the 2018 Asian Games title.
• First Indian to win a Diamond League meet: Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a Diamond League meet after he topped the field in Lausanne in 2022. With a depleted field that had world champion Anderson Peters missing, the Indian comfortably led the charts with an 89.08m throw, in his first attempt. 
• First Indian to become Diamond League champion: Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian athlete in history to clinch the Diamond League trophy, by winning the Zurich Diamond League 2022 Final. The Indian ace recorded a best throw of 88.44m to beat Tokyo 2020 silver medallist and 2016 champion Jakub Vadlejch to the title.
• First Indian to become world champion: Neeraj Chopra became India's first world champion after he clinched the gold medal in the men's javelin throw final at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest with an effort of 88.17m. It was Neeraj Chopra's second straight medal at the world championships after his silver at Oregon 2022.

Also Read: India at Olympics: India's Olympic medal tally by every edition

Neeraj Chopra Records: Best throws at major competitions

One has already featured at the Paris Olympics in women's boxing 66kg ­cate­gory while one is supposed to feature 57kg cate­gory on Friday, and both are at the centre of attraction for the last two days. But why? Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu‑ting of Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) failed the gender eligibility tests during the 2023 World Championships but were allowed to fight in women's boxing at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024.

Why did IBA ban them?

As per the International Boxing Association's president Umar Kremlev, "both boxers have XY chromosomes" which made them ineligible for the World Championships last year. Both Imane and Lin were scrapped from their medals, “following a comprehensive review and was intended to uphold the fairness and integrity of the competition”, as cited by IBA.

After the International Olympic Committee allowed both the boxers in the Women's category, the internet reacted with terms like, "they are allowing men in women's boxing". Barry McGuigan, a former boxing World Champion wrote on X, “It’s shocking that they were ­actually allowed to get this far, what is going on?”

The world saw what happened when Imane Khelif took on the boxing ring against Italy's Angela Carini. Carini was first punched in the face by Khelif and just after 46 seconds of the match, she decided not to fight anymore, which was later confirmed by Emanuele Renzini, Italy's boxing coach.

Soon after that, the internet started filled with posts with #IStandWithAngelaCarini. 

This woman, Angela Carini, is crying because her dream of winning a medal for her late father was destroyed in 46 seconds.

Male boxer Imane Khelif beat up Angela Carini and punched her in the face.#IStandWithAngelaCarini #Paris2024 

The @Olympics should be ashamed pic.twitter.com/Ic8hjU1sMD

— 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 (@Matt_Pinner) August 1, 2024

Why did the IOC allow them?

But, the thing is that the IOC has banned the International Boxing Association from running the Olympic boxing tournament due to governance issues and controversial judgement scandals. Thus, the IOC has created the "Paris 2024 Boxing Unit" to run the boxing tournament at the Olympics.

The Paris 2024 Boxing Unit have relaxed rules than IBA and used the rules of the Tokyo Olympics as a baseline for the rules for Paris 2024. 

“The PBU used the Tokyo 2020 ­boxing rules (enforced at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the related quali­fying tournaments) as a baseline to develop its regulations. Those rules descended from the Rio 2016 rules. The PBU endeavoured to restrict amendments to minimise the impact on athletes’ preparation and guaranteeing consistency between Olympic Games," IOC stated. 

The IOC has acknowledged the fact that both Imane Khelif and Lin Yu‑ting have failed the gender eligibility tests via their MyInfo website. 

The website stated that Khelif was “disqualified just hours before her gold medal showdown against Yang Liu at the 2023 world championships in New Delhi, India after her elevated ­levels of testosterone failed to meet the eligibility criteria” while acknowledging that Lin was “stripped of her bronze medal after failing to meet eligibility requirements based on the results of a biochemical test.

But IOC has not given any detail on what criteria both the boxers were allowed to participate in the Women's category.

It will be interesting to see what happens when Lin Yu‑ting takes on Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan in the 57kg category on Friday.

India's star boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borogohain were handed a tough draw in the boxing event of the Paris Olympics 2024. 

Two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen will face Germany’s Maxi Carina Kloetzer in the round of 32 of the women’s 50kg boxing event. However, she will have to go through the current Asian Games Champion People’s Republic of China’s Wu Yu in the Round of 16.

Besides being the reigning Asian Games Champion, Wu Yu is the top-seeded boxer in the 50kg category and World Champion in the 52kg category while Nikhat is the World Champion in the 50kg category.

And, if Nikhat goes past the Chinese boxer, she will have to potentially face either Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat or Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova in the quarter-finals. Nikhat had lost to Raksat in the Asian Games silver-medal match while facing defeat against Bobokulova in the Strandja Memorial final in February.

Read Also | Indian Debutants to watch out for in Paris Olympics 2024

Tough draw for Lovlina as well

Tokyo Olympics Bronze medalist and a medal hope for India at the Paris Olympics 2024, Lovlina Boroghain will face Sunniva Hofstad of Norway in the Women's 75kg category followed by a potential quarter-final against China’s Li Qian. Lovlina had faced a tough defeat at the hands of Hofstad in the Asian Games gold medal match last year in Hangzhou.

And, if Lovlina manages to go through to the next round, she will face the current European champion third-seeded Amina Zidani of France. 

Read Also | India at Olympics: India's Olympic medal tally by every edition 

Panghal and Dev received byes 

Indian men's boxers Amit Panghal and Nishant Dev received first-round byes in the men’s 51kg and 71kg, respectively. Both of them will fight in the Round of 16. Panghal will fight against Zambia’s Patrick Chinyemba while Dev will face Jose Rodriguez Tenorio of Ecuador in the round of 16.

Paris Olympics 2024 Boxing Draw for Indian boxers

• Women 50kg: Nikhat Zareen vs Maxi Carina Kloetzer (GER) - Round of 32
• Women’s 54kg: Preeti Pawar vs Vo Thi Kim Anh (VIE) - Round of 32
• Women’s 57kg: Jaismine Lamboria vs Nesthy Petecio (PHI) - Round of 32
• Women’s 75kg: Round of 16: Lovlina Borgohain vs Sunniva Hofstad (NOR) - Round of 16
• Men’s 51kg: Round of 16: Amit Panghal vs Patrick Chinyemba (ZAM) - Round of 16
• Men’s 71kg: Round of 16: Nishant Dev vs Jose Rodriguez Tenorio (ECU) - Round of 16

Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist boxer Lovlina Borgohain won a silver medal in the women's 75kg category at the Czech Grand Prix 2024 in Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic.

In the round-robin tournament, Lovlina Borgohain won against Chantelle Reid of England but lost to Cindy Ngamba and Li Qian. Borgohain lost her final match against the reigning Asian Games champion late on Saturday night by a margin of 2-3.

Also Read: Amit Panghal earns India's fifth Paris Olympics 2024 quota in Boxing

Qian is a two-time Olympic medalist and has three World Championship medals, including one gold to her name.

Four boxers were included in the women's 75 kg category in this tournament organized under the aegis of World Boxing. Borgohain, Refugee Boxing Team's Cindy Ngamba, Li Qian, and England's Chantelle Reid - and it is being held in a round-robin format.

Borgohain managed only one win in the tournament

Lovlina Borgohain managed only one win in the tournament, losing two of her three matches. This boxer from Assam had won her first match against England's Chantelle Reid by a split decision in a tough match, but later she had to face defeat from Cindy Ngamba and Li Qian. 

Lovlina gunning for her second Olympic medal

The 26-year-old boxer, who is the only Indian to participate in the tournament, is gunning for her second Olympic medal as she is one of the six Indian boxers to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024.

Also Read: Nishant Dev achieves Paris Olympic quota, becomes the first male boxer to do so

Indian boxing team for Paris Games

The Indian boxing team for Paris 2024 is a mix of experienced Olympians and rising stars. In the women's category, Borgohain is joined by two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen (50 kg), Preeti Pawar (54 kg), and Jasmine Lamboria (57 kg). The men's team includes Amit Panghal (51 kg), and Nishant Dev (71 kg).

World Championship silver medalist Amit Panghal secured India's fifth Paris Olympics 2024 quota in boxing as he defeated China's Chuang Liu in the 51kg quarterfinals of the 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok on Sunday. The Indian boxer managed a hard-fought 5-0 win over the Chinese opponent to win India's second male boxing quota for the upcoming Olympics. 

Panghal had to make a solid comeback in the second round after being down on 4 cards in the first round of the match. This will be the second Olympics participation for the former World No. 1.

For Panghal, the 2018 Asian Games and 2022 Commonwealth Games Champion, this was his last chance to secure a birth for the Olympics as he lost against world championship bronze medallist Deepak Bhoria in the selection trials and could not appear in the earlier two qualifying events.

Read Also: Paris Olympics 2024: Indian athletes who qualified for the Paris 2024

Along with Panghal, Nishant Dev (71kg), Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) have won Paris Olympics Quota in Boxing.

Amit Panghal qualifies for the Paris Olympics after beating a Chinese boxer 5-0 in the Men's 51kg quarterfinals at the World Olympic Boxing Qualifier in Bangkok. 🇮🇳💙#AmitPanghal #Olympics #olympicboxing #ParisOlympic #Paris2024 #IndianSports pic.twitter.com/zi3qTgOI31

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) June 2, 2024