Athletics, Olympics 2024: Neeraj Chopra continues to build on his great sporting legacy in Paris

After what seemed like an eternity, Neeraj Chopra raised his arms. The Stade de France cheered for the Indian javelin star with continued applause. Chopra’s gesture was to acknowledge the support, but there was no change in the stony expression etched on his face.

Chopra had just won silver in the men’s javelin throw event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Countless olympians have celebrated wildly for much less – sometimes even to just be at the quadrennial event.

But such is the high standard that the 26-year-old from Khandra, a village near Panipat, Haryana, has set for himself that nothing apart from the top step on the podium is enough.

Under the Parisian twilight on Thursday, Chopra became only the fourth Indian post-independence to become a multiple-Olympic medallist in an individual discipline. Wrestler Sushil Kumar won bronze at Beijing 2008 and silver in London 2012. Badminton star PV Sindhu has a silver (Rio 2016) and bronze (Tokyo 2020) to her name. Pistol shooter Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals in Paris.

Chopra, the defending champion in Paris, is the only one to have a gold and silver.

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BACK-TO-BACK MEDALS FOR NEERAJ CHOPRA!

The reigning world champion finishes with a best throw of 89.45 m to win silver in men's javelin throwhttps://t.co/2gL5m7Sgxj pic.twitter.com/6cCHkrLf8N— The Field (@thefield_in) August 8,...

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