Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra celebrated his 25th birthday on Saturday, December 24. Born in 1997 in Khandra, Haryana, the Indian has come a long way and is one of the top athletes in the country in recent times.
Neeraj Chopra is a gold medalist at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Asian Championships and Junior World Championships.
In addition, he is a silver medalist of the world championships, a champion of the Diamond League and a record holder of the country for several years. The Indian javelin ace achieved it all before he turned 25.
India’s sports association gathered on social media to celebrate Neeraj Chopra’s special day.
“Your heroism in the field of athletics has been a source of motivation for all of us,” said sprinter Hima Das, 2018 junior champion in the 400m, on her social media profile.
Former Indian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics hailed Neeraj Chopra as “India’s star”, while former Indian hockey player Sandeep Singh said the Olympic champion “ruled the hearts of millions of sports lovers with his talent”.
Neeraj Chopra’s achievements in athletics made him a household name in India. In fact, the Indian javelin thrower was the most featured athlete in 2022, surpassing even Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt.
Neeraj Chopra is currently at Loughborough University in Great Britain (UK) with his trainer and biomechanics expert Dr. Klaus Bartonietz and physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha, training ahead of the 2023 season. He is expected to perform at the Asian Games in China, scheduled for September, alongside other big-ticket athletics events such as next year’s world championships.
Even Indian cricketers, including retired player Jhulan Goswami, congratulated Neeraj Chopra on his birthday.
