Tokyo 2020: Neeraj Chopra strikes gold

India registered its best ever score of medals at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

India’s total tally of seven medals bettered the six it won in 2012 at the London Olympics.

The hero of the day was a 23 year old javelin thrower from Haryana – Neeraj Chopra.

Neeraj became the second Indian to win an individual gold in the Olympics and scripted history by becoming the first track-and-field Olympic medal-winner for the country.

Chopra has became the second Indian after Abhinav Bindra to win a gold medal in an individual event.

Neeraj Chopra lead the score board in the Round 1 by throwing 87.03m.

In Round 2, The 23-year-old son of a farmer from Khandra village near Panipat in Haryana produced a second round throw of 87.58m in the finals to stun the athletics world.

His third throw was a poor 76.76m, he then fouled his next two attempts before a final effort of 84.24m.

The favourite, Johannes Vetter of Germany, who had thrown the spear to 90m plus distances seven times between April and June, was eliminated after the first three throws as he was placed ninth with a best effort of 82.52m.

Bronze for Punia

The Indian wrestlers also continued to make the nation proud.

Bajrang Punia won the bronze medal after defeating Kazakhstan’s Daulet Niyazbekov 8-0 in the men’s 65kg category.

Punia became the sixth Indian wrestler to finish on the Olympic podium after KD Jadhav, Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Kumar Dahiya.

He is the only Indian wrestler to win 3 medals at the World Wrestling Championships.

The wrestler lost 5-12 against Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan in the men’s freestyle 65kg category semi-finals