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This 18-year-old Indian javelin thrower not only won a gold medal but also broke a world record

This 18-year-old Indian javelin thrower not only won a gold medal but also broke a world record
Sports1 min read


Eighteen-year-old Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra created history when he bagged gold at the IAAF World under-20 athletics championship at Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Chopra set a world record in athletics with his throw of 86.48 m becoming the first Indian to do so. That’s not all, this is also the first time an Indian has won a gold at any World Athletics Championships.

With his new record, he inches past defending Olympic gold medalist Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, who’s best was 86.35 m in 2016.

Johan Gobler (80.59m) from South Africa took the silver and Anderson Peters (79.65m) of Granada finished third.

Chopra, who failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics, threw the javelin to a mark of 79.66 against Grobler’s 80.59m in his first attempt. In the second attempt, he marched ahead of his rivals with his 86.48m throw. In his third throw, he managed 78.36m.

Earlier this year, Chopra had also won gold at the South Asian Games in Guwahati with an effort of 82.23 m.

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