Neeraj Chopra scripted history on Sunday as he became the first Indian athlete to win World Athletics Championships gold in the men's javelin throw final event in Budapest.
His second round in the final saw him throw the javelin to a distance of 88.17 metres, which remained the highest in the event.
His final throw is 83.98 metre long but his second round throw of 88.17 metre was enough to make him the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal at World Championships.
Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem threw 87.82 metres to finish second.
Neeraj Chopra had secured a silver medal in 2022.
Over the past 18 editions of the World Athletics Championships, no Indian athlete had stood atop the winner's podium.
The exceptional achievement of Anju Bobby George's bronze in the women's long jump in 2005 in Paris and Neeraj's silver from last year in Eugene represented the only two medals India has secured at the global competition till Neeraj Chopra changed all that on Sunday.
The Olympic Gold medallist and Diamond Trophy winner came in second place at last year's World Athletics Championships final.
Neeraj Chopra has made a strong mark in the track and field domain, establishing his own unique style. The term "one-and-done" has become synonymous with him.
His approach to international competitions often carries a sense of predictability; it's almost expected that he will return home with a medal.
While India has witnessed outstanding achievements in athletics before, no one has demonstrated the ease with which Neeraj Chopra consistently secures podium finishes, earning him the title of javelin superstar.
His journey in the qualification round set a strong precedent, as he unleashed a season-best throw of 88.77 metres.
Emerging at the top among 37 athletes in the qualification, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, a Commonwealth Games Gold medallist, was the sole contender to come near Neeraj's exceptional performance.
