Neeraj makes Indian history at World U-20

Neeraj makes Indian  history at World U-20
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Highlights

Sirmais had set the previous junior world record of 84.69 metres on June 22, 2011, in Bauska, Latvia.  Chopra, who is the first Indian athlete to set a world record at any level, bettered his previous personal best of 82.23 set at the South Asian Games earlier this year, which incidentally was also the old national record.

Bydgoszcz : Neeraj Chopra of India created a new junior world record on his way to the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event at the IAAF World U-20 Championships here.

Chopra hurled the javelin to a distance of 86.48 metres at the Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium here on Saturday to beat the previous record of Lativia's Zigismunds Sirmais by nearly two metres. Chopra thus became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the history of the World U-20 championship.

Sirmais had set the previous junior world record of 84.69 metres on June 22, 2011, in Bauska, Latvia.
Chopra, who is the first Indian athlete to set a world record at any level, bettered his previous personal best of 82.23 set at the South Asian Games earlier this year, which incidentally was also the old national record.

I was hoping to throw far but I never expected to throw over 86 metres and break the world U-20 record," Chopra, who had registered 79.66 metres with his opening attempt, said.

My ultimate target was to qualify for the Olympics but I didn't make it. My other goal was to win at the World U-20 Championships” he said.

South Africa's Johan Grobler added six metres to his lifetime best with 80.59 metres to claim the silver medal while Grenada picked up their first ever medal in a field event with Anderson Peters improving his national senior record to 79.65 metres.

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