Neeraj Chopra is special. Of course, there are his achievements, a list long enough and distinguished enough to put him in a league all his own. He’s inked his name on trophies and medals no Indian has ever done before, he’s won events that rarely ever saw Indian participation. He’s pushed the envelope on Indian athletics so far that he’s already being called a sporting legend. And, he’s only 25.
With his win in Lausanne on Friday, he is on top of the Diamond League list with 16 points and sitting comfortably to qualify for the 2023 Finals. It was his fourth Diamond League win in as many events — excluding the 2022 year-end finals, which he won too — since his second place finish in Stockholm last year, which ironically saw his best-ever performance of 89.94m.
Victory stories and numbers around the man with the golden arm are now as well-known to most people — even those with just a passing interest in the athletics or Olympic sports — as cricket statistics to the most ardent fans. Olympic champion, World Championship silver medalist, Asian champion, World U-20 champion, Diamond Trophy winner — these are all already etched in the record books. And yet, Neeraj is so much more than just his achievements on the field.
