Rising athletics star Neeraj Chopra scripted history by smashing the junior world record in javelin throw en route to a gold medal with a stunning effort of 86.48m at the IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
After a solid opening round throw of 79.66m, the 18-year-old Haryana lad sent the spear to a stupendous distance of 86.48m in his second round on the penultimate day of competitions last night, nearly two metres beyond earlier world Under-20 record of 84.69m which was in the name of Latvia’s Zigismunds Sirmais.
Chopra, currently studying at DAV College in Chandigarh, in the process became the first ever Indian to hold a world record in athletics (junior and senior). He also broke the existing national senior record of 82.23m in the name of Rajinder Singh while also becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to have won a gold in a World Championships.