Tokyo Olympics: Neeraj Chopra made history, did India proud, says EAM Jaishankar
Aug 07, 2021
New Delhi [India], August 7 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday lauded javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra for winning a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
"A fantastic performance, @Neeraj_chopra1. Made history and done India proud. Delighted to see #TeamIndia register the best ever medal haul at #Olympics," EAM Jaishankar tweeted.
Earlier today, Chopra created history as he became the first from the country to win a gold in track and field in the Olympics. He threw a distance of 87.58m to pick the gold in Tokyo.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Neeraj for scripting history with his gold medal-winning feat at the Olympics.
"History has been scripted at Tokyo! What @Neeraj_chopra1 has achieved today will be remembered forever. The young Neeraj has done exceptionally well. He played with remarkable passion and showed unparalleled grit. Congratulations to him for winning the Gold. #Tokyo2020," PM Modi tweeted.
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur also congratulated Neeraj for winning a gold medal.
"Let me first congratulate Neeraj Chopra for his outstanding performance, I think every Indian was glued to the TV screens, historic win and it is a great achievement. He has done a fantastic job, let me congratulate him on behalf of 135 crore people. This is great hope for the upcoming generation to play sport and win more medals in the future," Thakur told reporters.
Neeraj began his quest for a medal with a massive throw of 87.03 meters and was leading the pack after the end of the first attempt.
He bettered it with the second throw of 87.58m. While he wasn't able to improve any further, it was enough to get him the coveted medal. He is now the second Indian after Abhinav Bindra to win a gold medal in individual events.