Neeraj Chopra Biography
Neeraj Chopra is one of India’s most successful javelin throw athletes. He made history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics at the Tokyo 2020 Games. He later won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics and became India’s first World Athletics Championships gold medallist in 2023.
His journey from a village in Haryana to the biggest stages of world athletics has made him one of the most recognised Indian sportspersons.
Neeraj Chopra Biography – Quick Information
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Neeraj Chopra |
| Date of Birth | 24 December 1997 |
| Age | 28 Years (2026) |
| Birthplace | Khandra, Haryana, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Profession | Javelin Throw Athlete |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Men’s Javelin Throw |
| Height | Around 1.86 m |
| Education | Graduation |
| Known For | Olympic Gold Medal, World Championship Gold |
| Olympic Gold | Tokyo 2020 |
| Olympic Silver | Paris 2024 |
| World Champion | 2023 |
| Personal Best | 90.23 m |
| Major Coach | Jan Železný |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Himani Mor |
| Net Worth | Exact figure not officially confirmed |
World Athletics lists Chopra’s personal best at 90.23 metres, achieved in Doha on 16 May 2025.
Key Facts About Neeraj Chopra
- Neeraj Chopra was born on 24 December 1997 in Haryana.
- He started javelin throwing as a teenager.
- His first major international breakthrough came at the 2016 World U20 Championships.
- He won the World U20 title with a throw of 86.48 metres, which was then a world U20 record.
- He won Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020 with a throw of 87.58 metres.
- He became the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics.
- In 2023, he won the World Athletics Championships javelin title with 88.17 metres.
- He won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a throw of 89.45 metres.
- His personal best is 90.23 metres, achieved in 2025.
- He has also won major titles at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
- He has become an important figure for the growth of athletics and javelin in India.
Early Life of Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj Chopra was born on 24 December 1997 and grew up in Khandra village in Haryana.
As a child, Chopra was interested in sports. According to his own account, his family encouraged him to become more active after he was overweight as a child. At a local stadium, he saw athletes throwing the javelin and decided to try it himself.
He quickly showed an unusual ability for the event. His early progress encouraged him to train seriously and pursue javelin throwing as a career.
Neeraj Chopra Education
Neeraj Chopra completed his schooling in Haryana and later pursued higher education while developing his athletics career.
He studied at DAV College, Chandigarh. His education continued alongside his training and international competitions.
As his sporting career became more demanding, athletics became his primary professional focus.
Neeraj Chopra Javelin Career
Neeraj Chopra’s international career began gaining major attention during his junior years.
In 2016, he won the World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, with a throw of 86.48 metres. This performance also set a world U20 record at the time.
He continued to improve and won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2018 Asian Games.
His career was briefly affected by an elbow injury in 2019, which required surgery. He returned to competition and continued improving his throwing distance.
Neeraj Chopra at Tokyo Olympics
The biggest moment of Neeraj Chopra’s career came at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the men’s javelin final, Chopra produced a best throw of 87.58 metres. This was enough to win the gold medal.
The victory made him the first Indian athlete to win Olympic gold in athletics.
His Olympic victory also created a new level of interest in javelin throwing across India.
Neeraj Chopra World Champion
In 2023, Chopra achieved another historic milestone.
At the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, he won the men’s javelin gold medal with a throw of 88.17 metres.
He became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships.
This victory added a World Championship title to his Olympic, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games achievements.
Neeraj Chopra at Paris Olympics 2024
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Chopra entered the competition as the defending Olympic champion.
He produced a throw of 89.45 metres in the final and won the silver medal. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won gold with 92.97 metres.
Chopra’s silver made him India’s first track-and-field athlete to win two individual Olympic medals.
Neeraj Chopra Personal Best
Neeraj Chopra crossed the important 90-metre mark for the first time in his career in 2025.
He threw 90.23 metres at the Doha Diamond League on 16 May 2025, setting a new Indian national record. World Athletics currently lists 90.23m as his personal best.
Neeraj Chopra and Jan Železný
Neeraj Chopra began working with legendary Czech javelin thrower Jan Železný as his coach.
Železný is a three-time Olympic champion and former world-record holder. Chopra has spoken about admiring Železný’s technique since his younger days.
The partnership is focused on improving Chopra’s technique and helping him compete at the highest level.
Neeraj Chopra Family
Neeraj Chopra comes from a farming family in Haryana. His father, Satish Kumar, is a farmer, while his mother, Saroj Devi, is a homemaker.
He has two sisters and has often spoken about the support he received from his family during the early stages of his sporting career.
In January 2025, Chopra announced his marriage to Himani Mor, a tennis player and sports-related professional.
Neeraj Chopra Awards and Achievements
Some of Neeraj Chopra’s major achievements include:
| Year | Achievement |
|---|---|
| 2016 | World U20 Champion |
| 2018 | Asian Games Gold |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games Gold |
| 2021 | Olympic Gold – Tokyo |
| 2022 | World Championships Silver |
| 2023 | World Athletics Championships Gold |
| 2023 | Asian Games Gold |
| 2024 | Olympic Silver – Paris |
| 2025 | Personal Best of 90.23m |
His Olympic, World Championship, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games results have made him one of India’s most successful track-and-field athletes.
Neeraj Chopra Net Worth
Neeraj Chopra’s exact net worth is not officially disclosed. Various websites publish different estimates based on prize money, sponsorships, endorsements and other income.
Because there is no official financial statement confirming a particular amount, an exact net-worth figure should be treated as an estimate rather than a confirmed fact.
Short Biography of Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj Chopra is an Indian javelin throw athlete who has made history on the international athletics stage. Born on 24 December 1997 in Haryana, he developed an interest in javelin throwing as a teenager.
His first major breakthrough came in 2016 when he won the World U20 Championships. He later won gold at the 2018 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
His biggest achievement came at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he won India’s first Olympic gold medal in athletics. In 2023, he became India’s first World Athletics Championships gold medallist. At Paris 2024, he added an Olympic silver medal.
With a personal best of 90.23 metres, Neeraj Chopra continues to be one of India’s leading athletes and one of the most recognised javelin throwers in the world.
