Neeraj Chopra’s historic achievement was celebrated nationwide, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the praise.
New Delhi: India’s javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, made history as the first Indian track-and-field athlete to secure two consecutive Olympic medals. His accomplishment was widely celebrated, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi among those offering congratulations.
In a chat with Chopra, PM Modi expressed, “Many, many congratulations, Neeraj. You’ve made the country proud once again. Last night, even at 1 am, millions were watching you with hope.”
Chopra acknowledged that injuries and tough competition affected his performance. “I’m still happy to win a medal for my country under these circumstances. There are ups and downs in sports,” he said.
Chopra’s silver came after a hard-fought contest, with Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem setting a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters to win gold. Despite Nadeem’s impressive performance, Chopra delivered a strong throw of 89.45 meters in the second round, securing the silver.
PM Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to commend Chopra, stating, “Neeraj Chopra embodies excellence! Time and again, he has shown his brilliance. India is thrilled with his latest Olympic success. He will continue to inspire future athletes to chase their dreams and make our nation proud.”