The absence of Olympic javelin throw champion <keyword id="19968766" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Neeraj-Chopra" source="keywords">Neeraj Chopra</keyword> notwithstanding, there will be no lack of star power as the country's remaining top <keyword id="21541595" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="track-and-field-athletes" source="keywords">track and field athletes</keyword> vie for Paris <keyword id="22187624" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Olympics-berths" source="keywords">Olympics berths</keyword> during the National Inter-State Championships beginning here Thursday. The championships will serve as the final <keyword id="22187659" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="qualifying-event" source="keywords">qualifying event</keyword> for the upcoming <keyword id="20242595" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-Games" source="keywords">Paris Games</keyword> where the athletics events begin on August 1. Incidentally, the final day of the four-day championships — June 30 — also coincides with the <keyword id="19933819" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="olympics" source="keywords">Olympics</keyword> qualifying window deadline. Chopra will skip the championships as there is only a few days gap before the Paris Diamond League on July 7, in which he is set to compete. He competed in the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar last month, winning a gold. Last month, <keyword id="20386415" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Athletics-Federation-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Athletics Federation of India" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Athletics Federation of India">Athletics Federation of India</keyword> (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla had made it clear that except for Chopra, it will be mandatory for all the other athletes to participate in the National Inter-State Championships to get selected for the <keyword id="20006192" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-Olympics" source="keywords">Paris Olympics</keyword>. AFI rules state that all the athletes will have to participate in the National Inter-State Championships if they have to get selected for major multi-sport events like the Olympics, Asian Games or the Commonwealth Games, unless the federation gives exemption on the request of particular athletes or their coaches. In the absence of Chopra, the likes of Avinash Sable (men's 3000m steeplechase), Kishore Jena (men's javelin throw), Ram Baboo (men's 20km race walk) and Parul Chaudhary (women's 3000m steeplechase) — all of whom have booked Paris Games berths by breaching the qualifying standards — will headline the championships. Other athletes who can book Paris ticket through world ranking quota like Jyothi Yarraji (women's 100m hurdles), Annu Rani (women's javelin throw), DP Manu (men's javelin throw), Tajinderpal Singh Toor (men's shot put), Jeswin Aldrin (men's long jump), Praveen Chitravel and Abdulla Aboobacker (both men's triple jump) have also entered their names. Toor, an Asian record holder till a few days back, told PTI on Tuesday that he is dealing with a slight ankle pain and his doctor told him not to throw for three-four weeks. But his name figured in Wednesday's updated entry list of the AFI. Some of rising stars like sprinter Animesh Kujur, 110m hurdler Tejas Shirse — who recently set the national record — and long jumper Shaili Singh are also set to be seen in action. National record holder Manikanta Hoblidhar is also set to be back in action after missing the Federation Cup and his 100m dash duel with Kujur, Amlan Borgohain and Gurindervir Singh for the tag of the country's fastest man will be interesting to watch though none of them are likely to make it to Paris. Federation Cup 200m gold medallist Kujur will also be up against national record holder Borgohain in another duel. Almost all the members of the Indian men's and women's 4x400m relay teams that had booked Paris berths will feature in the individual quarter-mile events. National record holder 20km race walker Akshdeep Singh, who has also breached the Paris Games qualifying mark, is missing from the entry list. Women's 20km race walk national record holder Priyanka Goswami, who has also qualified for Paris Olympics, is not in the list. The opening day will see just three finals — women's hammer throw, men's and women's 500m races. A few athletes from Sri Lanka and Maldives are also taking part in the championships.

India's top athletics stars vie for Olympics berths at National Inter-State Championships

Mohali (Punjab) [India], August 28 (ANI): Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur heaped praise on India's javelin ace <keyword id="1115774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Neeraj-Chopra" source="Orion">Neeraj Chopra</keyword> who clinched India's first <keyword id="28217" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-medal" source="Orion">gold medal</keyword> at the <keyword id="124430" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-athletics-championships" source="Orion">World Athletics Championships</keyword>. Neeraj recorded his best throw of 88.17 m in his second attempt in the Championship final and managed to keep his lead intact till the very end. Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan, the Commonwealth Games champion finished with silver with a throw of 87.82 m. Czech Republic's Jakub Vadlejch secured bronze with a best throw of 86.67 m. "Congratulations to Neeraj Chopra for winning gold at the World Athletics Championship 2023. The Golden Boy of athletics has done it again. Not only in the World Athletics Championship, Neeraj Chopra has won gold in several other Championships also. This is a big achievement for India in the field of Athletics. I am also pleased about the fact that not only Neeraj, but in the final six three Indian athletes made their place, Kishore Jenna and Manu DP performed well," Anurag Thakur said while speaking to ANI. The other two Indian athletes in the mix were <keyword id="4904763" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kishore-jena" source="Orion">Kishore Jena</keyword> (best of 84.77 m), who finished fifth while DP Manu (best of 84.14 m) finished sixth. "The environment of sports in India has changed over the last few years. The Prime Minister also increased the sports budget by 3 times, he gave the go-ahead for the TOP scheme and also green lighted the Khelo India games. This has ethused the athletes and this has shown in their performance also" said the minister. With Chopra's success, India now has medals of all colours at the World Championships. This was Neeraj's second medal at the World Championships after he secured a silver last year. India's last medalist at the prestigious world event was Anju Bobby George back in the 2003 World Championships when she clinched bronze in the women's long jump. In the first round of attempts, Finland's <keyword id="14198716" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="oliver-helander" source="Orion">Oliver Helander</keyword> took the lead with a throw of 83.38 m. Neeraj Chopra's first throw was a foul, giving him a start that he did not want. The first throws of Kishore Jena and DP Manu were 75.70 m and 78.44 respectively. But it was not enough to give them a top-three spot. At the end of the first round of attempts, Helander led the field. In the second round of attempts, Czech Republic's Jakub Vadlejch took the lead with a throw of 84.18 m. However, Neeraj overcame the nerves of a bad start, outdoing Jakub with a monstrous 88.17 m throw to take the lead. Manu's second attempt was a foul. Jena's second throw was a solid 82.82 m and took him to the fifth spot. Neeraj led with a massive 88.17 m after the second round of attempts. The third round of attempts started and Neeraj recorded a throw of 86.32 m, the second-best in the competition so far. He managed to maintain his lead. However, with a massive throw of 87.82 m, Pakistan's Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem jumped to the number two spot. He recorded his season-best throw and less than a meter separated him from the Olympic champion Neeraj. With a third attempt of 83.72 m, Manu was still in fifth. Jena's third attempt was a foul and he remained at seventh spot. Neeraj led with 88.17 at the end of round three of attempts. Jena's fourth attempt was 80.19 m and kept him at the seventh spot at the start of fourth round of attempts. Manu's fourth attempt was a foul, keeping him at the fifth spot. Neeraj recorded the fourth throw of 84.64 m, still in the lead. However, Nadeem was still pretty close to him, throwing 87.15 m in the fourth attempt and having the second-best throw overall from earlier. Neeraj led the field at the end of the fourth round of attempts. Jena's fifth attempt was 84.77 m, taking him to fourth spot, one away from a bronze. Nadeem's fifth throw was a foul, delivering a blow to his hopes of a first spot. Neeraj's fifth throw was 87.73 m and kept him in the lead. However, it was just inches away from Nadeem's second-best throw of 87.82 m from earlier. Manu recorded 83.48 m and Jena recorded 84.77 in their fifth attempts. Jena was fifth while Manu at sixth. Neeraj still led the field. In the final round of attempts, Manu was still at sixth with an 84.14 m throw in the final attempt. Jena committed a foul and stayed at fifth. Nadeem's final throw was 81.86 m and failed to overcome Neeraj's 88.17 m in his final attempt. In this way, Nadeem settled for a silver and Neeraj made history with India's first-ever World Championships gold. (ANI)

Golden Boy of athletics has done it again: Sports Minister Anurag Thakur lauds Neeraj Chopra

Budapest, <keyword id="96627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="olympic-champion" source="Orion">Olympic champion</keyword> <keyword id="1115774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="neeraj-chopra" source="Orion">Neeraj Chopra</keyword> on Sunday scripted history yet again as he became the first Indian to win a <keyword id="28217" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-medal" source="Orion">gold medal</keyword> in the <keyword id="124430" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-athletics-championships" source="Orion">World Athletics Championships</keyword> with a best throw of 88.17m in the men's javelin final here. In another first, three Indians finished in top eight with Kishore Jena (84.77m) and DP Manu (84.14m) taking the fifth and sixth spots respectively. Never before did three Indians finish in top eight of an event in the World Championships. The 25-year-old Chopra dominated the competition and achieved his best throw of the day in his second attempt. He had a foul to start with, but then got 88.17m, 86.32m, 84.64m, 87.73m and 83.98m. Pakistan's reigning Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem took the silver with his season's best throw of 87.82m, while Jakub Vadlejch (86.67m) of Czech Republic got the bronze. Olympic champion Chopra began with a foul but jumped to top spot with his second throw, and from thereon, he led the field till the end. Nadeem also maintained his second position from the third round after which it was 1-2 for the Indo-Pak duo till the end. Chopra thus beat Nadeen once again as the Indian also won gold in the 2016 South Asian Games. Since then, the two have competed against each other in more than a dozen events and Chopra always returned triumphant. Chopra has now become only the second Indian -- after legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra -- to simultaneously hold the Olympics and World Championships title. Bindra won the World Championships title when he was 23, and the Olympics gold at 25. Chopra, who had become the first Indian Olympic track and field gold medallist in the Tokyo Games in 2021, had won a silver in the 2022 edition of the World Championships. Before him, legendary long jumper Anju Bobby George had won a bronze in the 2003 World Championships. The Indian superstar also became only the third javelin thrower in history to simultaneously hold the Olympics and World Championships titles after the iconic Jan Zelezny of Czech Republic and Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway. Zelezny clinched the Olympics gold in 1992, 1996 and 2000 while winning World Championships title in 1993, 1995 and 2001. Thorkildsen won gold in the 2008 Olympics and the 2009 World Championships. With his feat on Sunday, Chopra has won every title his sport has to offer. He has won gold in the Asian Games (2018) and Commonwealth Games (2018), besides four individual Diamond League Meeting titles (two each in 2022 and 2023) and Diamond League champion's trophy last year. He also became junior world champion in 2016 and won the Asian Championships title in 2017. Meanwhile, the Indian men's 4x400m relay team raised hopes of a historic medal after finishing second overall in the heats with Asian record time of 2 minute 59.51 seconds on Saturday. But, in the final on Sunday, the quartet of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi and Rajesh Ramesh could do no better than finish a creditable fifth with a time of 2:59.92. Parul Chaudhary created a national record of 9 minute 15.31 seconds while finishing 11th in women's 3000m steeplechase final. The earlier record was held by Lalita Babar (9:19.76) who had finished eighth in the final of the 2015 World Championships. Chopra's gold on the last day of competitions brought cheers to the Indian camp after an underwhelming start. Except for the performances of Chopra, Jena, Manu, Parul Chaudhary, the men's 4x400m relay team and Jeswin Aldrin (11th in men's long jump final), the World Championships outing was mediocre for the remaining Indians. Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar and 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable were tipped to be the best performers after Chopra but both failed to qualify for the finals in their respective events, much to the disappointment of the Indian camp. In the 2022 edition, apart from the silver won by Chopra, five other Indians had made it to the finals. In the last edition of the showpiece, Chopra was beaten by Anderson Peters of Grenada for the gold. The Indian had settled for a landmark silver then with a best throw of 88.13m in the final to become only the second from the country and first male track and field athlete to win a medal in the World Championships. Peters, who had won gold in 2019 also, could not make it to Sunday's final after he failed to even touch the 80m mark in Friday's qualification round which Chopra topped with his single throw of 88.77m. It was a tense start as Chopra fouled his first throw but he roared back with 88.17m in his second effort to jump to the top. He had 86.32m in his third attempt. Chopra led the field at the end of the first three rounds when the bottom four out of the 12 competitors were eliminated. By then, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem catapulted himself to second spot with a third round throw of 87.82m. DP Manu also moved up to fifth while Jena too made the top eight at seventh after three rounds. Germany's Julian Weber was third after the first three rounds but Vadlejch grabbed the bronze medal with his fifth round throw of 86.67m. There was no change in the top two as Nadeem could not better his third round throw of 87.82m, though he came close to it in the fourth round with 87.15m. He fouled his fifth attempt and by the time the Pakistani sent his spear to just 81.86m in his sixth and final attempt, the gold was assured for Chopra. The Indian took the final throw but could come up with only 83.98m which, however, was inconsequential.

Neeraj Chopra scripts history yet again, becomes first Indian to win gold in World Athletics Championships

Zurich, Newly-crowned world champion <keyword id="1115774" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="neeraj-chopra" source="Orion">Neeraj Chopra</keyword> 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 <keyword id="74857" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="diamond-league" source="Orion">Diamond League</keyword> 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. The champion thrower said after the event on Thursday that physically he was feeling "very good" but was a little tired after the World Championships in Budapest, where he won gold. "I feel very good now, because everyone is a little tired after the World Championships. We gave our 100 per cent there (in Budapest), but for this competition here my focus was to just stay healthy, and we have to focus now for Eugene (Diamond League finals on September 17) and then the (Hangzhou) Asian Games (from September 23). The Indian superstar, who was unbeaten this season before Thursday, qualified for the Diamond League finals in Eugene, USA, with 23 points from three meets. He had won the Diamond League trophy last year. Chopra has qualified for Diamond League finals at third spot behind Jakub Vadlejch (29 points) and Julian Weber (25 points). The Indian was third because he missed the Monaco leg of the Diamond League due to injury concerns, while Jakub and Weber participated. Chopra had won the Diamond League meetings in Doha (May 5) and Lausanne (June 30) -- his only two competitions before winning a historic gold in the World Championships in Budapest on Sunday with a throw of 88.17m. The Tokyo Olympics gold medallist indicated he didn't exert himself too much in Zurich order to be able to give his cent percent in the upcoming competitions. During the pre-event press conference here, Chopra had said that he was feeling a bit of pain on his shoulder and back after winning gold in the World Championships. He was not 100 per cent fit during the showpiece event due to a groin strain he had sustained while training in May-June. "For me, the focus was just to stay healthy and to give my 100 per cent in my next competitions. Sometimes we need to read our body. Today, I feel OK, I am 100 per cent OK, but I did not push too much. "Sometimes, our number one goal is to stay healthy. Today, I gave it my best but still with the focus to stay healthy. I usually do my winter training in Europe, because it is a lot easier to travel, that's why I spent some time in Loughborough (England) for some months before competing in Budapest this summer," added Chopra. Chopra began with a modest 80.79m throw here, which put him in the second spot but he fouled the next two throws to slip to fifth at the halfway stage when Germany's Julian Weber was leading. But Chopra pulled off 85.22m in his fourth attempt which saw him rise to second. By that time, Vadlejch had taken the lead. Chopra fouled his fifth throw again but achieved his best of the day -- 85.71m -- in his last throw. Chopra's next target would be to lift the Diamond League champion's trophy in Eugene on September 17. He had won the trophy last year. This Diamond League final will be a winner-takes-all affair with no points being carried forward from the Diamond League legs this season. There are four Diamond League individual legs before finals in each event, with the prize money different for each leg and the finals. Chopra got US USD 6,000 for his efforts in Zurich, while the winner earned US USD 12,000. The top six qualify for finals in field events. The winner in the finals at Eugene will be richer by USD 30,000, while the runner-up and third-place finishers will earn USD 12000 and USD 7000. In men's long jump, <keyword id="6915162" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="murali-sreeshankar" source="Orion">Murali Sreeshankar</keyword> finished fifth here with a first-round jump of 7.99m. He also qualified for the Diamond League finals in third place on the standings with 14 points. Sreeshankar, who had failed to qualify for the finals in the just-concluded World Championships in Budapest, led the field after the first round. But, he slowly slipped out of the top three as he could not improve upon his first round jump. He was third till the end of the third round but slipped to fifth in the fourth and remained there till the end. Olympic and world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won gold with a sixth and final round jump of 8.20m.

World champion Neeraj Chopra finishes second in Zurich; happy with effort

For someone who was cajoled into taking up sport to shed weight, <keyword id="1115774" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="neeraj-chopra" source="Orion">Neeraj Chopra</keyword>'s rise to stardom from a Haryana village has been nothing short of spectacular, and at 25, he is on course to becoming one of India's greatest sporting icons. Two years ago, his spear soared high into the Tokyo sky as he became the country's first Olympics track and field gold medal winner. He was just 23, as he became only the second Indian to win an individual gold medal in the Olympics after legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra. A star was born overnight in a country that had for long craved for the ultimate success in sport's biggest platform. Before Bindra, who won the 10m air rifle gold in 2008 Beijing Olympics, India's eight other yellow metals at the Games had come from hockey, a team game. With his gold medal on Sunday in the World Championships, the legend of <keyword id="371" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="chopra" source="Orion">Chopra</keyword> continued to grow. He is now only the second Indian -- again after Bindra -- to simultaneously hold the Olympics and World Championships title. Bindra won the World Championships title when he was 23, and the Olympics gold at 25. With age on his side, Chopra is bound to achieve more success if he stays fit. He will have two Olympics and two World Championships before he turns 30. Superstardom after Tokyo gold The world junior championships triumph in 2016 heralded Chopra's rise on the world stage but it was the gold in Tokyo in 2021 that etched his name in Indian sporting history. The adulation showered on him was unprecedented; it was at par with if not more than some of the cricket icons. He was the toast of the nation and having attended so many felicitation programmes on one occasion exhaustion and fever forced him to leave a welcome function near his village. He later revealed that he had put on weight after missing training due to the many felicitation functions he had attended after the historic success in Tokyo. Chopra found himself among the most-searched Indian personalities online and ranked above the likes of <keyword id="6354486" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="virat-kohli" source="Orion">Virat Kohli</keyword> and Rohit Sharma in Google searches in India. After his Tokyo triumph, Chopra's brand value skyrocketed with top brand sponsors lining up for him. His brand value was compered with people like Kohli and his Instagram and Twitter followers swelled instantly. In December last year, Chopra dislodged the iconic world record holder sprinter <keyword id="28723" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="usain-bolt" source="Orion">Usain Bolt</keyword> as the 'most visible' and 'written-about' athlete in the world. Chopra led a star-studded field in terms of media coverage with 812 articles published in his name, followed by Jamaican sprint trio of Elaine Thompson-Herah (751), Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce (698) and Shericka Jackson (679). Athletics Federation of India president Adille Sumariwalla said recently that Chopra's Tokyo Olympics gold has made parents think that there is a career beyond cricket in India. Sumariwalla may not be off the mark as more than half a dozen Indians are currently capable of hurling the spear above 80m and three Indians, including Chopra, featured in the World Championships men's javelin final on Sunday. August 7, the day Chopra won gold in Tokyo, is now being celebrated as National Javelin Day. Consistency is the key for Chopra Consistency has been Chopra's forte since his Tokyo triumph as he has thrown above 86m in all the events he has taken part in the last two years. Of course, he has not competed in too many competitions -- just two this year before the World Championships -- but there has not been any drop in his performance. The least distance he has cleared since the Tokyo gold was the 86.69m while winning the Kuortane Games title in Finland in June last year. His best is the 89.94m which fetched him a second place at the Stockholm Diamond League, also in June last year. Compared to this, his closest competitors such as Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic has thrown below 85m many times. Of course, Vadlejch has featured in more than 20 competitions in the last two years, more than twice as that of Chopra. It's almost the same in case of Julian Weber of Germany, who was fourth in Tokyo and also in the 2022 World Championships. Anderson Peters of Grenada suffered a dip in form after winning gold in the 2022 World Championships -- his second after 2019 edition triumph -- and he could not even touch 80m in the qualification round here on Friday to make an early exit. Ultimate down-to-earth and people's champion Chopra may not be as articulate as the likes of Bindra but his 'I can't hurt or disappoint anybody' mindset can floor anyone. He would readily oblige fans in India and abroad for selfies and autographs. He will not say no to scribes wanting to talk to him. No doubt, the Tokyo Olympics success brought certain restrictions as far as access to him is concerned with 'guards' surrounding him often, but he remains down to earth as before. He is still accessible in the playing arena. Chopra speaks from the heart and not in a nuanced way. He would even candidly tell scribes that medals are not awarded in certain events. Mischievous chubby kid cajoled to shed flab But many years before he achieved greatness, Chopra was under tremendous pressure from his joint family of 17 to lose weight. He was all of 13 at that point and had become a mischievous boy, often fiddling with the bee hives on village trees and trying to pull buffaloes by their tails. His father <keyword id="18562002" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="satish-kumar-chopra" source="Orion">Satish Kumar Chopra</keyword> wanted something to be done to discipline the boy. So, after a lot of cajoling, the child finally agreed to do some running to shed the flab. His uncle took him to Shivaji Stadium in Panipat -- around 15km from his village. Chopra wasn't interested in running and almost instantly fell in love with javelin throw when he saw a few seniors practising at the stadium. He decided to try his luck and, as they say, the rest is history, which would now probably make its way into school textbooks. 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The Humble Great: Neeraj Chopra's rise from a chubby village kid to Indian sporting pantheon

The strong Indian contingent for the <keyword id="6354367" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="commonwealth-games" source="Orion">Commonwealth Games</keyword> suffered a massive setback as ace javelin thrower <keyword id="1115774" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="neeraj-chopra" source="Orion">Neeraj Chopra</keyword>, fresh from his silver medal-winning performance at the <keyword id="124430" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-athletics-championships" source="Orion">World Athletics Championships</keyword> in Eugene (US), has been ruled from the quadrennial showpiece due to a groin injury. Speaking to IANS, <keyword id="59608" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="indian-olympic-association" source="Orion">Indian Olympic Association</keyword> (IOA) secretary-general Rajiv Mehta confirmed <keyword id="371" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="chopra" source="Orion">Chopra</keyword>'s injury. "Neeraj Chopra had been advised rest for a month by doctors after an MRI showed an injury in his groin. He had complained of pain in the groin region after his competition at the <keyword id="6398240" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-championships" source="Orion">World Championships</keyword>, following which he went for an MRI, which revealed a minor tear," said Mehta. "It is a huge loss for the Indian contingent as Chopra was the defending Commonwealth Games champion and would have won gold had he competed," added Mehta. Chopra, the 2020 <keyword id="395647" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tokyo-olympics" source="Orion">Tokyo Olympics</keyword> gold medallist, had recently ended India's 19-year-long wait for a medal at the World Athletics Championships by winning silver with his best throw of 88.13 metres. This was India's second medal ever at the World Championships and the first podium finish since Anju Bobby George won a bronze medal in long jump at Paris in 2003. However, Chopra had complained after the historic achievement that he felt something in his groin during competition which did not make him feel good. "In the first three throws, I did not feel good. My warm-up was not good. I felt something in my groin during the throw but I think it is OK," the Indian ace had said. The shattering news of his injury would have rattled the Indian contingent in Birmingham. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was in the final phase of deciding the flag-bearer for the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony on July 28, with Chopra the front-runner along with ace shuttler and two-time Olympic Games medal winner <keyword id="501707" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pv-sindhu" source="Orion">PV Sindhu</keyword>. But with Chopra out of the Games, Sindhu should be the automatic choice to do the honours. Chopra had been sublime form of late, winning silver medals at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland and the Diamond League competition in Stockholm, Sweden. He came within six centimetres of the magical 90-metre mark with a throw of 89.94 to win silver in Stockholm, and show he was in the form of his life to retain gold at the Commonwealth Games. A recent social media post from Chopra that he always goes for gold was enough indication that he was motivated for a top podium finish in Birmingham. "I don't fight to win, I fight for excellence, I fight to get better. Gold is the goal, so I put in the hard work consistently and focus on getting better," Chopra had said recently. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/monkeypox-may-not-be-limited-to-gay-bisexual-men-can-spread-to-others-who/articleshow/93131256.cms">Monkeypox may not be limited to gay, bisexual men, can spread to others: WHO</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/flipkart-pocket-fm-join-hands-to-bring-audiobook-library/articleshow/93131453.cms">Flipkart, Pocket FM join hands to bring audiobook library</a>

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra ruled out of Commonwealth Games due to groin injury (Ld)

Olympic champion <keyword id="1115774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="neeraj-chopra" source="Orion">Neeraj Chopra</keyword> clinched his first top-3 finish at the prestigious Diamond League Meeting with a national record-shattering effort but missed the 90m mark by a whisker in a star-studded field here on Thursday. The 24-year-old Chopra opened with a stunning throw of 89.94m, just 6cm shy of the 90m mark, the gold standard in the world of <keyword id="1180773" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="javelin-throw" source="Orion">javelin throw</keyword> and that effort eventually turned out to be his best. His other throws measured 84.37m, 87.46m, 84.77m, 86.67 and 86.84m. He bettered his earlier national record of 89.30m, which his spear had travelled while finishing second in the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, on June 14. World champion and season leader Anderson Peters of Grenada won the competition with a best throw of 90.31m which he came up with in this third attempt. He has thrown 90m-plus twice this season -- 93.07m while winning the Doha leg of the Diamond League last month before 90.75m effort at Hengelo in the Netherlands. Julian Weber of Germany was third with a fifth round throw of 89.08m while Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch (88.59m) of Czech Republic was fourth. Another Czech athlete and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Vitezslav Vesely was seventh in the eight-man field with 82.57m. Chopra has beaten Peters twice this month -- in Turku where the athlete from Grenada was third and in the Kuortane Games, also in Finalnd, where the Indian superstar had won gold with a best throw of 86.69m under wet and slippery conditions. Chopra's first throw had raised hopes of him scripting history of becoming the first Indian to win a Diamond League event. Nonetheless, he became the second Indian to finish in top-three in a Diamond League competition after discus thrower Vikas Gowda. The 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Gowda, who retired in 2017, had finished in top-three in a Diamond League event four times in his career. He had finished second in 2012 (New York) and 2014 (Doha) and third in Shanghai and Eugene in 2015. Chopra was making his first Diamond League appearance in four years after his fourth-place finish in Zurich in August 2018. He has taken part in seven Diamond League meets -- three in 2017 and four in 2018. The prestigious one-day meet at the Swedish capital is Chopra's biggest event ahead of the World Championships in Eugene, USA, from July 15-24. The next Diamond League Meeting where javelin throw is in the programme is in Monaco on August 10. It could not be confirmed whether Chopra will take part in it as it will happen just a few days after the Birmingham CWG (July 28 to August 8) where he will be defending his title. Germany's Johannes Vetter, who has the maximum number of 90-plus throws among the active throwers, continued to be on the sidelines. He is not fully fit and had also missed the German nationals. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/four-days-work-week-full-and-final-settlement-within-2-days-of-exit-new-changes-at-workplaces-to-reflect-from-july-1/articleshow/92572689.cms">Four-days work week, full and final settlement within 2 days of exit — new changes at workplaces to reflect from July 1</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/gst-rates-raised-again-take-out-your-cheque-books-wait-thats-taxed-too/slidelist/92572621.cms">GST rates raised again, take out your cheque books. Wait, that’s taxed too</a>

Neeraj Chopra misses Stockholm Diamond League by a whisker, finishes second

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/53363567.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> 
 Eighteen-year-old <keyword id="678582" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Javelin-Thrower">Javelin thrower</keyword> <keyword id="1115774" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Neeraj-Chopra">Neeraj Chopra</keyword> created history when he bagged gold at the IAAF World under-20 <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=athletics+championship&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">athletics championship</a> at Bydgoszcz, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=poland&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Poland.</a> 
 
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 <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=olympic+gold+medalist&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Olympic gold medalist</a> 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 <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=rio+olympics&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Rio Olympics</a>, threw the <keyword id="6426496" type="SPORT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Javelin">javelin</keyword> 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. 
 
Watch it here: 
 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/id9FqGiVfk0" width="560"></iframe>

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

<keyword id="232713" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="hangzhou" source="Orion">Hangzhou</keyword> (China), <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s campaign for excellence in the Paris <keyword id="6450929" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="olympic-games" source="Orion">Olympic Games</keyword> next year faces some crucial tests starting from Saturday when the 19th <keyword id="84384" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="asian-games" source="Orion">Asian Games</keyword> officially kick off in Hangzhou, China. India has set itself an ambitious target of achieving medals in double digits for the first time in the Paris Olympic Games in 2024 and the 19th Asian Games not only present an opportunity to assess the preparation of its athletes but also provide Olympic qualification quotas in some sports. Postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic that swept across China last year, the 2022 Asian Games are being conducted within the qualifying period for Olympic Games in all sports and thus provide opportunities for sportspersons to book their berths to France. Indian sportspersons in many sports including men's and women's hockey, table tennis and boxing will get a chance to qualify for the Olympics at Hangzhou. With the Central Government pumping in huge sums to fulfil its dream of Olympic excellence, India is expecting to achieve its best-ever medal haul in the Asian Games at Hangzhou. India's previous best medal haul in the Continental Jamboree has been the 70 medals bagged in Indonesia four years back in 2018. Its campaign spearheaded by the likes of Olympic and World Championship gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, two-time World Champion boxer Nikhat Zareen, Olympic bronze medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain, men's doubles tennis legend <keyword id="12295" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rohan-bopanna" source="Orion">Rohan Bopanna</keyword>, chess champs Koneru Humpy, D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu in badminton and table tennis legend Achanta Sharath Kamal, India go into the Hangzhou Asian Games in bullish mood, hoping to challenge the Asian superpowers China, Japan, South Korea and Iran and finish fifth or above. Besides hoping to win its first gold medal since 2014, the Indian men's hockey team will be hoping to clinch a direct berth in the Paris Olympics by winning the gold medal in Hangzhou. The women's hockey team led by goalkeeper Savita Punia has landed in China to not only clinch its berth for Paris 2024 but also bag its first gold medal in the Asian Games since 1982 when women's hockey made its debut in the continental extravaganza. The women's hockey team led by Rajbir Kaur won the title at home in New Delhi and since then India have claimed silver medal twice -- in 1998 and 2018 -- and bronze medal thrice -- in 1986, 2006 and 2014. The team has finished fourth on four occasions. Overall India have won 671 medals in the 19 editions of the Asian Games so far -- 155 gold, 200 silver and 316 bronze medals. The Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) are hoping to add a substantial chunk of medals to the kitty at Hangzhou and maybe cross the 100-medal mark. Though that may look like a tall order considering the country's best effort so far has been 70 in 2018, it does not sound like an impossible target considering the recent performances by the Indian sportspersons in recent times and the new sports that have been added to the programme here at Hangzhou. India hopes to garner most of its medals from athletics, its bread-and-butter sport at the Asian level, shooting, boxing, wrestling, tennis, rowing and sailing. With esports making its debut as a medal sport in Hangzhou and chess returning to the Games for the first time since 2010, India will also be hoping to bag some medals in badminton, squash, table tennis, taekwondo, judo, wushu and equestrian. The country has sent in a huge Contingent of 921 which includes 655 athletes and 260 coaches and support staff. Competitions have already started in men's and women's football, sailing, rowing, cricket, table tennis, volleyball and beach volleyball. The medal hunt will start on September 24, the day after the Games are officially declared open, with shooters providing the first medal for Another reason for aiming for a rich medal haul at Hangzhou is that India hopes to organise the Asian Games for the third time in the next few years. A rich medal haul at Hangzhou will also boost the country's image and get support for hosting the event for the third time after 1951 and 1982. Can Hangzhou be a stepping stone for Indian sports on way to excelling at Paris 2024 and organising the Asian Games soon? The result will be out on October 8, when the 19th Asian Games will come to a close.

Asian Games: At Hangzhou, India on a quest for excellence and preparing for Paris 2024

<keyword id="11982525" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="javelin-thrower-sumit-antil" source="Orion">Javelin thrower Sumit Antil</keyword> clinched India's second gold at the ongoing <keyword id="6387644" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="paralympics" source="Orion">Paralympics</keyword>, shattering the men's F64 category world record multiple times in a stunning Games debut performance on Monday. The 23-year-old from Sonepat in Haryana, who lost his left leg below the knee after he was involved in a motorbike accident in 2015, sent the spear to 68.55m in his fifth attempt, which was the best of the day by quite a distance and a new world record. In fact, he bettered the previous world record of 62.88m, also set by him, five times on the day. His last throw was a foul. His series read 66.95, 68.08, 65.27, 66.71, 68.55 and foul. Australian Michal Burian (66.29m) and Sri Lanka's Dulan Kodithuwakku (65.61m) took the silver and bronze respectively. The F64 category is for athletes with a leg amputation, who compete with prosthetics in a standing position. A student of Delhi's Ramjas College, Antil was an able-bodied wrestler before his accident which led to the amputation of his leg below the knee. A para athlete in his village initiated him to the sport in 2018. He also competed against Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra in the able-bodied Indian Grand Prix series 3 on March 5 in Patiala. He finished seventh with a best throw of 66.43m while Chopra shattered his own national record with a big effort of 88.07m. He won a silver in the F64 javelin throw at the 2019 World Championships in Dubai. Shooter Avani Lekhara had claimed the women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event gold in the morning. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/mukesh-ambanis-reliance-life-sciences-gets-approval-to-conduct-trials-for-its-covid-19-vaccine/articleshow/85677741.cms">Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Life Sciences' COVID-19 vaccine — here's all we know so far</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-motors-is-the-casualty-of-jlr-struggling-due-to-the-global-chip-shortage-and-a-lacklustre-ev-vision/articleshow/85652897.cms">Tata Motors is paying the price because Jaguar Land Rover has been slow in the EV race</a>

Sumit Antil clinches India's second gold in Paralympics with a world record in javelin throw

The successful completion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the selling of the media rights for it is the news that <keyword id="1523" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-cricket" source="Orion">Indian cricket</keyword> is celebrating. The most important aspect of any venture is the financials, and the <keyword id="6354756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bcci" source="Orion">BCCI</keyword>, one feels, is comfortable with it. The Indian domestic season ended with the completion of the Ranji Trophy. Madhya Pradesh winning it with not a single International player in its midst is a remarkable story. One has to give kudos to each of the playing members of the side, especially, in the way they showcased teamwork and togetherness. One has to admire the coaching skills of Chandrakant Pandit, who has with this win etched himself as the best-ever cricket performance coach in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. Indian cricket may look like it is sailing through calm waters as a cricket establishment. However, one gets the feeling that cricket on the field is in a maze. There seems to be plenty of uncertainty as regards to the players and now with the captain as well. India will be playing an important Test match at Edgbaston in Birmingham today. With a 2-1 lead in the series, India may be in the driver's seat with nothing major to lose. However, a victory against England for all Indians is always a special occasion. Completing a pending series eight and a half months since the last Test match of that series is in itself an amusing story. India and England in the meantime have both changed their captains and their coaches. The momentum that India had gained and established mentally as a superior unit may no longer hold. A one-Test encounter in a foreign land is never a right approach and India have suffered from this in the past. The inaugural World Test Championship, when India played New Zealand, the latter having played a few matches before, was a prime example of a team not acclimatised for the big occasion. The Indian Test team seems to be in the same predicament at present. They have landed after playing two months of T20 cricket into playing the true traditional and conventional form of the game. Test cricket requires one to be patient and draws one into a mental state that is far different from the glamorous hit-or-miss variety of the T20. India are also in a flap as regards captaincy. Jasprit Bumrah has been named captain because of the unavailability of Rohit Sharma. The ideal solution would have been to request Virat Kohli to lead. Bumrah is the leading force for India as a bowler. However, captaincy could become a burdensome issue for him. Furthermore, he has not even captained a First-class side before and, therefore, putting this additional responsibility on his shoulder would not be fair to him. God and lady luck need to shine on India, as without KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and the lack of confidence in their batters in Cheteshwar Pujara , Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, the blessings of the almighty is all what Indian fans must be praying for. The England side looks confident and cocky having won the series 3-0 against New Zealand. Their new aggressive approach has been a revelation in the way in which they bat. One admires it when it all comes out right but cricket history has shown that it could come to bite you as well. India has the bowling arsenal to demolish England's belief. Rahul Dravid has a major issue and that is to select the ideal and best eleven for the Test match. Apart from Virat Kohli, not a single spot in the batting order is in order. India possesses both pace and good spin-bowling options. The English weather tempts one to go in with an extra pacer but for India to leave out R. Ashwin would be a folly. However, the most concerning part would be Bumrah as a captain and as to how he marshals the side. India, on the other hand have their eyes focused on the T20 World Cup at the end of this year. Australia is the venue and identifying the players for it would be a challenge. The reason being that the IPL throws out players who have performed well in it and they seem to be favoured in the selection of the national side as well. This has led to a huge pool of players, all showcasing similar skills amongst them. Along with the regular established players, identifying the best from the rest is going to be a difficult task. One feels India is over-extending itself by playing two series at one time. An Indian cap has become an everyday affair. A good performance in the IPL and one is a part of one of the Indian side, if not in the senior side, then at least in one of the limited-overs one. None of the other countries send two teams to play two different series. One wonders whether the Indian players will be fresh enough to play the T20 World Cup, given the schedule of matches that they will be playing before it. Giving a cricketer a well-deserved break is not the answer. A team needs to have continuity and camaraderie to understand one another. This comes from playing as many matches together and spending quality time with one another, away from the ground. The Indian team needs to confine itself to a camp where strategies and plans are discussed and decided. This is where India has failed earlier and has, therefore, not won an ICC Trophy since 2014. One hopes Dravid changes it or else we will once again ask "WHY". (Yajurvindra Singh is a former India cricketer) SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/neeraj-chopra-misses-stockholm-diamond-league-by-a-whisker-finishes-second/articleshow/92585778.cms">Neeraj Chopra misses Stockholm Diamond League by a whisker, finishes second</a>

With 8 captains in 1 year, the Indian cricket team is a puzzle too complex for BCCI

By Philem Dipak Singh New Delhi, Apr 30 () Javelin thrower Shivpal Singh is relieved that he has already qualified for the Olympics but rues the fact that he will miss out on rubbing shoulders with the world's best in the prestigious Diamond League series due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight events of the 14-leg Diamond League series, where only top athletes are invited to take part, have been postponed so far amid uncertainty of whether any athletics competition will be held at all this year due to the pandemic. All Diamond League meets scheduled till June 13 have been postponed because of the pandemic which has killed more than 2 lakh people globally. The one still on schedule is the London leg on July 4. The grand finale is slated for September 11 in Zurich. "It was a great feeling to be able to compete with the best in the world last year and I was looking forward to the Diamond League action this year also. But the COVID-19 has turned the world upside down and my plans are also affected," Shivpal told in an interview. "It is a relief to have qualified for the Olympics before the lockdown due to coronavirus. But the disappointment is that the Diamond League series are not being held. We don't know whether the remaining legs will happen or not," he added. After winning a silver medal in the Asian Championships with a personal best throw of 86.23m last year, Shivpal took part in his maiden Diamond League meet in Oslo in June where he finished eighth. Shivpal booked his Olympic ticket on March 10 in a competition at his training base in South Africa just in time before the global sports calendar went haywire. He breached the 85m mark for Olympics qualification with an effort of 85.47m. He is the second Indian javelin thrower after Neeraj Chopra to qualify for Tokyo Olympics. "Last year was an eventful one and my performance was going up. I was gaining in confidence and my graph was on the rise. But suddenly, the coronavirus happened and everything is uncertain now," said the 24-year-old from Uttar Pradesh. "I was expecting a lot this year but now the whole season is in doubt. For me, this is a big setback." Neeraj holds the national record of 88.06m and Shivpal said he can breached that mark. "When I qualified for Olympics (with 85.47m) in South Africa, I had not given my full strength, I had thrown the javelin in low speed," he said. "I was targeting to cross 88m during Federation Cup (which was to be held from April 10-13 but postponed). The target given by the coach is 90m." Shivpal returned home from South Africa just a few days before the suspension of international flights. He is currently at NIS Patiala, where he is training indoors because of the nationwide lockdown. "Nobody is allowed outdoor training. So, I do some core strength building training inside the room or the area just outside the room. Otherwise, I spend time listening to music or watching movies on my phone or laptop. "I am not getting bored but it is tough also to remain without outdoor training for long. It has been more than one month now. But what can we do? We also have to follow the rules and guidelines of the government," said Shivpal. "The federation is hoping to have some competitions later in the year, let us wait and see. I am just waiting for this pandemic to be controlled and sports competitions to begin." PDS SSCSSC

You Searched For "neeraj chopra championships" and got 12 results

India's top athletics stars vie for Olympics berths at National Inter-State Championships

PTI

Golden Boy of athletics has done it again: Sports Minister Anurag Thakur lauds Neeraj Chopra

ANI

Neeraj Chopra scripts history yet again, becomes first Indian to win gold in World Athletics Championships

PTI

World champion Neeraj Chopra finishes second in Zurich; happy with effort

PTI

The Humble Great: Neeraj Chopra's rise from a chubby village kid to Indian sporting pantheon

PTI

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra ruled out of Commonwealth Games due to groin injury (Ld)

IANS

Neeraj Chopra misses Stockholm Diamond League by a whisker, finishes second

PTI

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

Poulomi Das

Asian Games: At Hangzhou, India on a quest for excellence and preparing for Paris 2024

IANS

Sumit Antil clinches India's second gold in Paralympics with a world record in javelin throw

PTI

With 8 captains in 1 year, the Indian cricket team is a puzzle too complex for BCCI

IANS

Olympics-bound Shivpal rues missing Diamond League due to COVID-19 pandemic

PTI