The golden thrower

Neeraj Chopra's biography chronicles how he triumphed despite the deplorable state of Indian sports infrastructure

In the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, as the 23-year-old javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra completed his second attempt, he raised his hand signalling victory without even looking at where his javelin had landed, so confident was he of his throw. He had done it. He had secured India’s first gold medal in athletics.

From an overweight teenager to an athlete at the peak of his fitness and best form of his game, Chopra, like any other successful sportsperson, may seem like an over­night achiever. Not­hing could be further from the truth. His story is that of a family looking to better their