Eugene, July 24: After scripting a history in Tokyo last year Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra once again registered his name in the history books as he clinched the silver medal with 88.13m throw at the World Athletics Championships here on Saturday (Sunday morning in India).
After clinching the silver, Chopra became the first male athlete and the second Indian to win a medal at the world championships since Anju Bobby Gerage’s bronze medal win in the women triple jump event in Paris 2003 edition.
Chopra’s best effort of 88.13m in the final was short of Grenada’s Anderson Peters’ gold medal-winning mark of 90.54m. Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch won the bronze with 88.09m.
The 24-year-old made a disappointing start with a foul. He posted 82.39m and 86.37m in his second and third attempts, respectively and was trailing on fourth position.
Peters, meanwhile, extended his lead at the top with a 90.46m mark in his second attempt.
Then in the fourth attempt Chopra recorded the best throw of 88.13m. However, his last two throws was recorded foul but he had done enough to win India its maiden silver medal at the world championships.
Peters breached 90.54m with the final throw to increase his margin of victory and became the first man since the legendary Jan Zelezny to successfully defend a men’s javelin throw crown at the worlds.
It was only the fifth time that the javelin throw final was won with a 90m-plus throw in the 18 editions of the world championships.
Meanwhile, another Indian in fray Rohit Yadav finished 10th with a best attempt of 78.72m, which came in his third attempt. His two earlier attempts measured 77.96m and 78.05m.
With Uni Inputs…
