History of Neeraj Chopra in Timeline
"Subedar Major Neeraj Chopra is an accomplished Indian track and field athlete specializing in the javelin throw. He holds the distinction of being the first Asian athlete to secure an Olympic gold medal and a World Championship title in javelin. Notably, he achieved the Olympic championship in 2020 and the World Championship in 2023, making him the reigning world champion."
December 1997: Birth
Neeraj Chopra was born in December 1997.
2003: Anju Bobby George's Historic Bronze
Chopra's silver medal at the 2022 World Championships came 19 years after Anju Bobby George's historic bronze medal in the women's long jump at the 2003 World Championships in Paris.
2008: Second Indian Individual Gold Medalist
Chopra's victory made him the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal, following in the footsteps of Abhinav Bindra, who won gold in the men's 10m air rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
2010: Beginnings in Javelin Throw
Neeraj Chopra started training in javelin throw in the winter of 2010 under the guidance of coach Akshay Choudhary.
October 2012: National Junior Record and Gold Medal
Neeraj Chopra won gold with a new national record throw of 68.40 meters in the National Junior Athletics Championships in October 2012.
2012: India's Olympic Success
Chopra's gold medal in Tokyo contributed to India's most successful Olympic Games to date, surpassing the six medals won at the 2012 London Olympics.
2013: First International Competition
Neeraj Chopra participated in his first international competition, the World Youth Championships, in 2013.
2014: First International Medal and 70-meter Throw
Neeraj Chopra won his first international medal, a silver at the Youth Olympics Qualification, and achieved his first throw of over 70 meters at the senior nationals in 2014.
2015: World Record in Junior Category
Neeraj Chopra broke the world record in the junior category with a throw of 81.04 meters in 2015.
2015: Fifth Place at National Games
Neeraj Chopra finished fifth at the National Games in Kerala in 2015.
April 2016: Back Injury
Neeraj Chopra sustained a back injury during the Federation Cup in New Delhi in April 2016, affecting his performance.
September 2016: Training at Sports Authority of India
Neeraj Chopra moved to train at the Sports Authority of India centre in Bangalore in September 2016.
December 2016: Induction as a JCO
Neeraj Chopra was formally inducted as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in December 2016.
2016: National Training Camp
Neeraj Chopra joined the national-level training camp in 2016, marking a turning point in his career.
2016: World U20 Champion and World Record Holder
Neeraj Chopra won gold at the World Under-20 Championships, setting a world U20 record of 86.48m in 2016.
2017: Asian Athletics Championships Gold and Groin Injury
Neeraj Chopra won gold at the Asian Athletics Championships but suffered a groin injury at the Zurich Diamond League in 2017, leading him to withdraw from competition for the rest of the year.
May 2018: National Record at Doha Diamond League
Neeraj Chopra broke the national record again at the Doha Diamond League with a throw of 87.43 meters in May 2018.
August 2018: Asian Games Debut and Gold Medal
Neeraj Chopra made his debut at the Asian Games representing India in August 2018. He also served as the flag-bearer for the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony. On August 27, he won gold in the men's javelin throw with a distance of 88.06 meters, setting a new Indian national record.
September 2018: Arjuna Award Recognition
In September 2018, Chopra was bestowed with the Arjuna Award, India's second-highest sporting honor, in recognition of his outstanding achievement at the Asian Games.
2018: Training Under Uwe Hohn
Neeraj Chopra began training under the guidance of renowned German coach Uwe Hohn in 2018. Hohn played a crucial role in refining Chopra's throwing technique, which was previously considered "wild".
2018: Commonwealth and Asian Games Gold Medalist
Neeraj Chopra won gold medals in both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in 2018.
May 2019: Elbow Surgery and Recuperation
Neeraj Chopra underwent surgery on his right elbow in May 2019 to address bone spurs, an injury that led him to miss the World Championships in Doha. His recovery included meditation and rehabilitation in Patiala and Vijayanagar.
November 2019: Training in South Africa
Following his recovery from surgery, Chopra traveled to South Africa in November 2019 for specialized training under the guidance of German biomechanics expert Klaus Bartoneitz.
2019: Continued Technique Development
Throughout 2019, Chopra continued to train under Uwe Hohn, focusing on refining his technique and preparing for upcoming competitions, including the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
January 2020: Return to Competition and Olympic Qualification
Chopra returned to international competition in January 2020 after a 16-month break due to injury. He secured victory in Potchefstroom, South Africa, with a throw of 87.86 meters, qualifying him for the Tokyo Olympics.
March 2020: Return to India Due to Pandemic
Chopra's training in Turkey was cut short in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing him to return to India. He continued training at the NIS Patiala during the subsequent lockdown.
December 2020: Training Camp in Bhubaneswar
In December 2020, Chopra participated in a training camp organized by the Athletics Federation of India and the Odisha government at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar to support the national javelin team's preparations for the Olympics.
2020: Olympic Gold Medalist
Neeraj Chopra won the Olympic gold medal in javelin in 2020.
February 2021: Conclusion of Bhubaneswar Camp
Chopra concluded his training camp at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar in February 2021 after months of intensive preparation with the national javelin team.
March 2021: National Record Broken
On March 5, 2021, Chopra achieved a new national record of 88.07 meters at a competition, solidifying his position as a top contender for the Olympic Games and ranking him third best internationally.
June 2021: Travel to Europe for Training and Competition
After facing visa challenges due to the pandemic, Chopra received clearance to travel to Europe in June 2021. He spent time in quarantine in Paris before heading to Portugal for the Meeting Cidade de Lisboa, where he won gold with a throw of 83.18 meters. He then moved on to Uppsala, Sweden, for further training.
August 2021: Olympic Debut and Historic Gold Medal
Neeraj Chopra made his Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in August 2021. He secured a spot in the final with a throw of 86.65 meters and went on to win the gold medal on August 7 with a throw of 87.58 meters. This victory made him the first Indian Olympian to win gold in athletics.
2021: Pursuing Higher Education
As of 2021, Neeraj Chopra was pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lovely Professional University.
June 2022: New Personal Best and National Record
Chopra set a new personal best and national record at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, with a throw of 89.30 meters, securing second place. He further improved his national record to 89.94 meters at the Stockholm Diamond League, again finishing in second place.
June 2022: European Competitions
Chopra participated in several competitions in Europe. He won gold at the Karlstad Meet in Sweden but had a more challenging time at the Kuortane Games in Finland, attributing his performance to technical issues and using a different javelin. He withdrew from the Spitzen Leichtathletik Luzern due to fatigue and encountered visa problems for a Diamond League event in Gateshead.
July 2022: World Athletics Championships Silver Medal
Chopra won a historic silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon with a throw of 88.13 meters, becoming the second Indian to win a medal at the event, following Anju Bobby George's bronze in 2003.
2022: Silver Medal at World Championships and Second Gold at Asian Games
Neeraj Chopra won the silver medal at the World Championships, making him the second Indian to win a medal at the event. He also won his second gold medal at the Asian Games in 2022.
2022: Reflecting on a Successful Year
Chopra's gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games capped off a remarkable year for the athlete, during which he set new personal bests, broke national records, and earned medals at prestigious competitions like the World Athletics Championships and Diamond League events.
May 2023: Doha Diamond League Victory and World No. 1 Ranking
Chopra started 2023 strong with a win at the Doha Diamond League, throwing 88.67 meters. This success helped him achieve the top spot in the men's javelin throw rankings for the first time in his career.
August 2023: World Athletics Championships Gold Medal
Chopra achieved a historic victory at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, winning the gold medal with a throw of 88.17 meters, further cementing his place as one of the world's best javelin throwers.
October 2023: Asian Games Gold Medal
Chopra continued his winning streak at the 2022 Asian Games, securing another gold medal with a season-best throw of 88.88 meters.
2023: Diamond League Success and World Championship Qualification
Chopra continued his success with a win at the Lausanne Diamond League, qualifying for the Zürich Final, which he also won, securing his place in the 2023 World Championships.
2023: World Champion Javelin Thrower
Neeraj Chopra became the reigning World champion in javelin in 2023.
2023: First Gold Medal for India at World Athletics Championships
Neeraj Chopra won the first gold medal for India at the World Athletics Championships in 2023.
2024: Paris Olympics Silver Medal
Chopra won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024, achieving a season's best throw of 89.45 meters in the final.
2024: Silver Medal at Summer Olympics
Neeraj Chopra won the silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics.