Neeraj Chopra scripted history at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 after
clinching gold in the javelin throw event. His throw of 87.58m in the second
attempt helped him become the first Indian track and field athlete to
secure a podium finish. The 23-year old with his incredible feat extended India’s
medal tally to 7, the country’s best-ever Olympic performance.

Also Read | Neeraj Chopra wins gold, ends India’s 100-year wait for Olympic medal in athletics 

Chopra becomes only the second Indian to win a gold at an
individual Olympic event. He emulated shooter Abhinav Bindra’s performance from
the 2008 Beijing Games.

Thirteen years ago Bindra had attained the top position in the
men’s 10m air rifle scoring 700.5. Bindra had a great run of shots after
coming third at the qualifying stage, all of which were above the 10.0 mark.

The
Indian shooter had shot a near-perfect 10.8 with his final shot to break
the tie with his fellow competitor Henri Hakkinen and eventually earn India’s
first-ever individual Olympic gold medal.

Also Read | Neeraj Chopra wins gold in javelin throw, India’s first Olympic medal in athletics

Bindra’s gold came in his third appearance at the Olympics,
while Chopra is making his debut in Tokyo. Bindra first competed in the
Olympics as a teenager in the 2000 Games, when he set a new Games record in
qualifying for the 2004 Games.

Sushil, a two-time Olympic medalist, came the closest among
Indian wrestlers to winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics when he reached
the final. However, he was defeated by Tatsuhiro Yonemitso of Japan and had to
settle for silver.

Also Read | In Neeraj Chopra, India gets second individual Olympic gold

India’s First-Ever
Olympic Gold

India’s first-ever Olympic gold medal came in the year 1928.
The Indian Hockey team scored 29 goals without reply in five matches at
the Amsterdam Games to become Olympic Champions.

The legendary Major Dhyan
Chand scored 14 goals, including a hat-trick in the final against the Netherlands.
It was also the Indian hockey team’s first medal at the international
multi-sport event. It began the run of 10 Olympics in which India has
finished on the podium, including six consecutive gold medals.