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Silver lining in Glasgow: Panipat erupts in joy for Neeraj
Khandra celebrates two-time Olympic champion’s medal with fireworks, sweets; uncle cites cold weather, recent injury for missing gold
Panipat’s Khandra village erupted in overnight celebration after its son and two-time Olympic champion, Neeraj Chopra, bagged the silver medal in the men’s javelin throw at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The entire community gathered at Chopra’s family home, 16km from Panipat town, to watch the final together and cheer on the family.
Fireworks lit up the night sky on Friday, and sweet distribution continued well into Saturday morning as Neeraj threw a season-best 85.83m on his second attempt, eclipsing his previous mark of 85.69m set at the Doha Diamond League on June 19, where he finished fourth.
However, the effort fell just short of the top spot. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathiraje claimed gold with an impressive 89.75m throw, while Bhiwani’s Yashvir Singh secured the bronze with an 85.41m effort.
Twenty-eight-year-old Neeraj struggled to hit top form amid the harsh cold and strong wind in Scotland.
Speaking after the event, Neeraj’s father, Satish Chopra, said that it was a moment of double joy for the nation. “I am glad my son brought home another medal for the country, though we were naturally hoping for gold,” he said.
His uncle, Bheem Chopra, pointed to two key factors behind Neeraj missing out on the top spot. “The strong, swirling wind meant that whoever landed an early big throw set the bar—no one could catch up after that. The second factor was the injury Neeraj dealt with recently. Add to that the immense pressure every athlete faces when the entire world is watching. Despite all this, we are immensely proud of his silver,” Bheem said.
He added that India is fast replacing Finland as the global epicentre of javelin throw. After the event, Neeraj praised his fellow Indian finalists. Standing alongside bronze medalist Yashvir, Neeraj told reporters: “I am very happy. Even as I manage my injuries, it feels great to see other Indian throwers step up. Yashvir crossed the 85m mark, Rohit threw 87m before arriving here, and Sachin is doing well, too. Indian javelin is truly progressing.”
