Asian Games 2018: Javelin star Neeraj Chopra named India’s flag-bearer for opening ceremony

20-year-old Neeraj is the reigning Commonwealth Games champion and won a gold in the Savo Games in Finland last month.

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was on Friday named the Indian contingent’s flag-bearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony to be held on August 18 in Jakarta.

IAAF Athletics Diamond League meeting - Men's Javelin - Charlety Stadium, Paris, France, July 1, 2017 - Neeraj Chopra of India competes. (REUTERS)

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra made the announcement today during the send-off ceremony organised for the contingent. The Games will be held from August 18 to September 2 in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.

The 20-year-old Neeraj is the reigning Commonwealth Games champion and won a gold in the Savo Games in Finland last month.

Neeraj had won the gold medal in the Asian Athletic championships in 2017 with a throw of 85.23 meters. He had also bagged a gold in the 2016 IAAF World U-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Former Hockey captain Sardar Singh was India’s flag-bearer at the 2014 Asian Games.

Indian athletes had won 57 medals, comprising 11 gold, 10 silver and 36 bronze medals in the previous edition at Incheon, South Korea.