Neeraj Chopra is only the third javelin thrower in history to simultaneously hold the Olympics and World Championships titles.
Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will have to wait another year before chasing India's first Olympic track and field medal in Tokyo but the delay may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, the 22-year-old said. The Commonwealth and Asian Games champion, seen as one of India's best medal prospects at the Games, spent the whole of 2019 recovering from an elbow operation on his throwing arm.
Neeraj Chopra began his quest for a World Championships gold medal with a false start in the men's javelin throw final in Eugen, Oregon, on Saturday. India's other contestant in the final Rohit Yadav had a throw a 77.95 metres.
Andreas Thorkildsen successfully defended the Olympic gold in Beijing and joined an elite list of four javelin throwers in the Games' history who have won their event at two consecutive Olympics. But Thorkildsen now wants to emulate Zelezny, who won three consecutive gold medals -- in Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000). He believes he can compete in another three Olympics if he stays fit.
Anderson Peters of Grenada and Tokyo Olympics silver winner Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic had come up with 93.07m and 90.88m throws respectively
Vetter is the favourite to claim gold, while Chopra is being seen as India's best bet to end the country's Olympic medal drought in athletics.
Chopra opened the competition with an effort of 83.03m before having two foul throws. After a fourth throw of 83.36m, Chopra sent the javelin to 88.07m amid loud cheers from a sizeable audience at the NIS Patiala.
Before joining national camp in early 2015, he was training at Tau Devi Lal Stadium at Panchkula after being shifted from Shivaji Stadium at Panipat.
Australia's Sally Pearson completed one of the great sporting comebacks when she overcame two years of injury agony to win the world 100 metres hurdles title at the age of 30.
Wayde van Niekerk ran the fastest 400 metres since 2007 to become the first South African to win a World Championship sprint title on Wednesday.
A round-up of all the results from the 16th World Athletic Championships in London
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