World Athletics Championships 2023 Was A "Big Challenge": Neeraj Chopra Tells NDTV

02.09.2023 - 03:39 sports.ndtv.com

India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra added another feather to his cap last week by claiming a World Athletics Championships gold medal at Budapest, Hungary.

With it, he also became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the event. Neeraj's best throw in the javelin final was 88.17m.

He had a foul throw to start with but then got 88.17m, 86.32m, 84.64m, 87.73m and 83.98m. In a recent interview to NDTV, Neeraj has revealed that the World Championships was "a big challenge" for him. "World Championships was tough for me because I was recovering from an injury.

While competing in Tokyo (Olympcs) I was fit and I was competing well there, but in Budapest, I was always concerned about my injury.

athletics UPS Neeraj Chopra Star Jakub Vadlejch Hungary Czech Republic India

A World Championships gold was the crowning glory of this season but superstar javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has a title to defend as he takes the field against familiar rivals at the prestigious Diamond League finals on Saturday. The 25-year-old Chopra lifted the Diamond League champion's trophy in Zurich last year and he would be looking to do the same again after dominating the season which saw him win his maiden World Championships title in Budapest in August. If Chopra holds the trophy and pockets the USD 30,000 prize money at the Prefontaine Classic, he will become only the third man to defend the DL overall title, though the format changed in 2017.

I Was Competing With Myself, Not With Neeraj Chopra: Arshad Nadeem

Pakistan's World Championships silver medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem does not consider Indian gold winner Neeraj Chopra as his main rival, saying he competes with himself. Nadeem on Sunday became the first athlete from Pakistan to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, while Olympic champion Chopra won the gold. Asked if Chopra was his main rival in the World Championships, Nadeem said, "No. I myself is the only competitor to Arshad Nadeem. I did not think I was competing to win against anybody." Chopra won gold with a throw of 88.17m while reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist Nadeem took the silver with his season's best throw of 87.82m.

I Was Competing With Myself, Not With Neeraj Chopra: Arshad Nadeem

World Athletics Championships 2023 Was A "Big Challenge": Neeraj Chopra Tells NDTV

India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra added another feather to his cap last week by claiming a World Athletics Championships gold medal at Budapest, Hungary. With it, he also became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the event. Neeraj's best throw in the javelin final was 88.17m. He had a foul throw to start with but then got 88.17m, 86.32m, 84.64m, 87.73m and 83.98m. In a recent interview to NDTV, Neeraj has revealed that the World Championships was "a big challenge" for him.

"For This Competition, My Focus Was...": Neeraj Chopra On Diamond League 2nd Spot Finish

Newly-crowned world champion Neeraj Chopra missed out on a top podium finish to settle for second position with a final round throw of 85.71 metres in the men's javelin event of the Diamond League Meeting here. The 25-year-old Chopra, also the reigning Olympic champion, produced three legal throws of 80.79m, 85.22m and 85.71m while the remaining three were fouls. He finished behind Jakub Vadlejch (85.86m) of Czech Republic, who had won a bronze in the World Championships.

Zurich Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra and Murali Sreeshankar Live Updates: Sreeshankar Starts Well, Neeraj In Action Soon

Neeraj Chopra and Murali Sreeshankar, Zurich Diamond League Live: Boosted by the historic gold medal win at the World Athletics Championships, India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will be aiming to continue his purple patch when he takes the field at the Diamond League meet in Zurich. Neeraj clinched the World championship gold with a throw of 88.17m.