Anderson Peters, the friend and rival of Neeraj Chopra

Once an aspiring fast bowler, Grenadian is new 90m starNeeraj Chopra and Anderson Peters have one thing in common - both took to javelin for fun. Neeraj, once bullied for being overweight, wanted to lose flab and found his escape route in the sport. He would later end up being the country's first Olympic champion in athletics and only the second Indian track and field athlete to win a medal at the Worlds. Grenadian Anderson, hailing from a country with a population of 1.13 lakh, picked up the javelin in school at the age of 10 more as an extension of his childhood hobby of hurling stones at mangoes and apples hanging high on trees and later throwing cricket balls. He would become only the second athlete in javelin history to win back-to-back Worlds titles after Czech great Jan Železný.

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Tokyo 2020 Olympics javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra scripted yet another history, becoming only the second Indian to bag a podium finish to win a silver medal in the World Athletics Championships 2022. He is the first male track and field Indian athlete to win a medal at the World

Since their childhoods, both Neeraj and Anderson have come a long way in their respective careers. But, it was their duel during the World Championships in USA's Eugene that grabbed the spotlight and has now set up an intriguing, high-voltage showdown between the two at the 2022 Birmingham CWG when they will go head-to-head again on August 7. "Peters is doing well. He has thrown more than the 90m mark quite a few times this year. It is good for the sport. I am happy with the rivalry. I have beaten him also. It is a healthy competition and a challenge for me as it goads me to keep