Neeraj Chopra, India’s Olympic javelin star, was warmly welcomed by the Sports University of Haryana in Rai, Sonipat, on Friday, marking his first visit home since winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.
Chopra, who had his fractured left hand in a plaster, was greeted by university officials and students, lining up to honor the track and field legend. His silver in Paris follows his historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
In Paris, Chopra’s best throw of 89.45 meters earned him second place, as Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem took the gold with a record-breaking 92.97 meters. After the Games, Chopra stayed in Europe, where he finished second in the Diamond League Final in Brussels, narrowly missing out on gold by one centimetre to Anderson Peterson.
Chopra later revealed that he had competed in the Diamond League Final with a fractured left hand, sustained during a training session. "It was another painful challenge for me," Chopra wrote on social media. Despite the setback, he expressed gratitude for the lessons learned throughout the season.
"As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned – about improvement, setbacks, mentality and more," Chopra said, adding that he is determined to return stronger and fully fit next season.