Picture Credit: Twitter/@Neeraj_chopra1
Neeraj Chopra has given India and its people an enormous amount of joy and happiness. While it was still a bittersweet Olympic campaign for the country at Tokyo 2020 and Bajrang Punia had just bagged a bronze medal, India's only hope of gold was in Neeraj Chopra. However, the country hadn't won a single medal in track and field in over a hundred years and some gave Neeraj only an outside chance of a medal from the game.
But rising above expectations and not letting the occasion get the better of him, Neeraj threw his javelin and with it flew India's aspirations and dreams. 87.58 m- a number which is now part of India's sporting folklore- was the distance which the Haryana lad clocked with his second attempt, enough to end the country's medal drought in athletics not with any other medal but the best one on offer.
Neeraj Chopra Army Sports Stadium
Since then the golden boy has become a national hero and has been receiving all kinds of honours, rewards and awards for his unprecedented performance at the greatest sporting extravaganza. Adding to that is a rather special feat as a stadium in the premises of Army Sports Institute in Pune is set to be named after Neeraj. The stadium will be renamed 'Neeraj Chopra Army Sports Stadium' in Pune Cantt.
It is being reported that the official naming ceremony of the stadium is slated for August 23 and will be carried out by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He will also be accompanied by the Army Chief General M M Narvane and Lieutenant Governer JS Nain for this purpose.
Neeraj's throw listed as one of 10 magical moments of athletics in Tokyo Olympics
On his visit, Singh will also facilitate the other Olympians before proceeding with the naming ceremony. He is also set to address the troops and interact with emerging sportspersons. Earlier, Neeraj's historic golden throw in the Olympics was listed as one of the 10 magical moments of athletics (track and field) in the Tokyo Olympics by World Athletics.
He has already been felicitated by the Indian government, the Sports Ministry, the Athletic Federation of India as well as the Indian Army post his return from Tokyo.