Neeraj Chopra gains 2 million Instagram followers after Tokyo triumph

Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra’s gold-medal victory at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday has made him an overnight sensation, not just across the nation but also on social media, as he gained over 2 million followers on Instagram in less than 24 hours after the win. 

At 5.51 pm on Saturday, just 10 minutes after his win, the 23-year-old had 228k followers on the social media app. In the next 24 hours, his followers shot up to 2.6 million.

Also Read: Olympian Neeraj Chopra’s challenges in Tokyo

Some people took to social media to talk about the surge in followers. 

“Neeraj Chopra’s Instagram grew by 1.1 Million followers in the last 6 Hours. So happy for Our India’s Legend Olympics Gold Medalist,” one person wrote on Twitter.

“After javelin gold in Tokyo, Neeraj Chopra is closing in on a dizzying 2.5 million followers on Instagram.

Prior to Tokyo 2020 he had 143,000 followers!” wrote another person.

Also Read: Taskforce, training, then medals: Tokyo Olympics hint at Modi’s ‘New India’

Chopra on Saturday broke the spell of 100 years and brought home the much-awaited gold with a throw of 87.4 m. In his first Instagram post after his triumph, the athlete thanked all those who helped him reach this stage.

“Still processing this feeling. To all of India and beyond, thank you so much for your support and blessings that have helped me reach this stage. This moment will live with me forever,” Chopra wrote on Saturday. 

Meanwhile, a video of the 23-year-old reverently folding the Indian national flag and keeping it in his bag after the final lap has gone viral on social media, with people appreciating him for the same. Some of the users said that he did so because he is in the Indian Army and knows the value of the national flag. For those unversed, the athlete is a Subedar with 4 Rajputana Rifles in the Indian Army.