Neeraj’s village erupts in joy over historic gold

Tribune News Service

Mukesh Tandon

Panipat, August 28

Celebrations started at Khandra village on late Sunday night after Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra created history once again, becoming the first Indian athlete to clinch a gold medal in the World Athletics Championship at Budapest in Hungary.

His family members and villagers watched the finals on a big screen at Khandra, the native village of golden boy Neeraj Chopra.

There were some anxious moments on the first throw, but it soon turned into celebrations as he threw his javelin at a distance of 88.17 m in his second attempt and bagged the gold medal. His family started distributing laddoos as Neeraj scripted history at 11.45 pm. Just as he won the event, youths and villagers celebrated the moment by clapping and whistling. “It is a proud moment for us as well as every Indian today as Neeraj won the gold medal,” his mother Saroj Devi said.

The Diamond League and Asian Games are ahead and Neeraj is busy with his tournaments. He might come after the tournaments, said Bhimsen Chopra, his uncle.

Neeraj’s father Satish Chopra, who is a farmer, said it was a proud moment for all family members as well as for the country’s people as he won the gold medal for the country and it was due to their wishes that he was victorious, he stated. “We were confident that Neeraj would bring the gold medal as he was working very hard for the championship,” he added.

Neeraj had created history after winning the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics. He had also bagged the silver in the World Athletics Championship 2022 in Oregon, US.

DC Virender Kumar Dahiya, along with other officials, today visited Neeraj Chopra’s village and congratulated his family. “Neeraj is an inspiration for the youth and people get new energy every time he wins,” said the DC, adding that a grand welcome gate would be constructed at Neeraj’s village within a week.

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