Another brilliant example of how hard work never goes unrewarded. The eighteen-year-old Neeraj Chopra, who failed to make the cut for Rio Olympics last February, is now being considered by Athletics Federation of India as a wild card entry for next month’s Rio Olympics.has burst into the scene after becoming the first Indian to bag gold in the javelin throw,
Chopra has burst into the scene after becoming the first Indian to bag gold in the javelin throw. He was competing for the Rio Olympics qualifying mark of 83m in few competitions after he produced a throw of 82.23m while winning gold in the South Asian Games in Guwahati in February, which included the Asian Under-20 Championships. He could not make it then.
July 11th was the deadline for Rio Olympics entry in athletics but AFI President Adille Sumariwalla said a wild card entry can still be sanctioned by the IAAF.
Sumariwalla, who is also a member of the powerful IAAF Council, told media that he has written a letter to the world body chief Sebastian Coe in this regard within hours of Chopra winning a gold in the World Under-20 Championships.
“Neeraj’s performance is a junior world record but more than that he is now at an eighth spot in the IAAF overall list of season leaders, taking into account even the senior athletes all over the world. So, I have written to the IAAF president to consider Neeraj for a wild card entry for the Rio Olympics,” said Sumariwalla.
The young man from Panipat in Haryana bettered the previous U-20 record of 84.69m held by Latvian Zigismunds Sirmais by nearly two metres.
South African Johan Gobler (80.59m) took the silver and Anderson Peters (79.65m) of Granada finished third.
In his first attempt, Chopra threw the javelin to a mark of 79.66 against Grobler’s 80.59m. In his second attempt, he marched ahead of his rivals with the 86.48m throw. The third throw was a modest 78.36m.
According to reports, Chopra throw puts him eighth among all throwers this year. Defending Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago’s best for this year is 86.35m.
