In the upcoming Olympics, Neeraj Chopra stands a good chance to create history in the absence of top throwers, Thomas Roehler and Magnus Kirt due to injuries. Neeraj's journey began in 2016 when he bagged gold in the 2016 South Asian Games with a throw of 82.23m and with that, he also equaled the Indian national record. In 2017, at the Asian Athletic Championships, he clinched another gold medal with a throw of 85.23m. A year later at the Commonwealth Games, Chopra scripted more history as he pocketed the gold medal with a season-best throw of 86.57m, joining an elite list of Indian athletes to win a gold medal on their CWG debut.
A few months later in August, Neeraj threw a distance of 88.06 m to win gold in the Men's javelin throw at the 2018 Asian Games and set a new Indian national record, bettering his own previous record. He began the event as the flag-bearer at the opening ceremony and ended it with the highest prize. In his first competition in over a year, Chopra improved the national record by a centimetre to 88.07 metres at the Indian Grand Prix 3 in Patiala in early March. He is ranked fourth in the world as per World Athletics rankings. At the Federation Cup at the same venue a few days later, Chopra registered 87.80 metres, a reflection of his consistency. Chopra, going by his current form, is India’s best bet for a Olympic medal this year.