NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur lavished praise on Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra for clinching gold in the 2022 Kuortane Games in Finland.
Neeraj threw 86.69 m to clinch the top prize in tricky and wet conditions. In rainy conditions, Chopra started well but there was a foul in his second throw.
“Gold for Neeraj! He’s done it again, what an incredible champion! Best throw of 86.69m in his 1st attempt at the #KuortaneGames2022@Neeraj_chopra1 clinches the top spot and goes on to win his 1st of the season. BRILLIANT,”: tweeted Anurag Thakur.
Meanwhile, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh wrote, “Another day, another gold! Well done champ @Neeraj_chopra1 on the gold at #KuortaneGames.”
The Indian javelin thrower hit the spot on his very first try at the tournament, had a foul on his second try, and bore a nasty slip in his third attempt, following which he chose to skip the remaining two attempts.
Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad settled for silver with a throw of 86.64m while Anderson Peters claimed bronze with a throw of 84.75m. India’s Sandeep Chaudhury was eighth in the standings with a throw of 60.35m.
Earlier this month, Neeraj took part at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland and won a silver while setting a new national record with a throw of 89.30m. The Golden Boy of India will next take part in the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League on June 30. (ANI)
