Neeraj Chopra achieved a big win for India. He got a gold medal in a sports event called the World Athletics Championship on Sunday. This was the first time an Indian won a gold medal in this event.
Neeraj stood in the final with two other Indians, Kishore Jena (5th place) and D P Manu (6th place). This was a special moment because it showed that India is becoming better in a sport that wasn’t very well-known until August 2021. That’s when Neeraj won a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
The sport Neeraj is really good at is called javelin throw. It’s becoming more and more popular in the place where Neeraj grew up. People in his hometown, Khandra, near Panipat, are getting very interested in athletics, especially javelin throw. Neeraj’s amazing achievements inspire the young boys and girls in his village.
A man named Harinder Kumar has known Neeraj for more than ten years. They trained together in Panchkula from 2012 to 2015. Later, Harinder started coaching kids in track and field at Sanskriti Public School. At first, he had only a few students from Khandra. But now, he has around 45 students.
Even though Khandra isn’t producing as many champions as a place called Bangaon, which is famous for javelin throwers, Neeraj’s influence is making a difference. He has always wanted to help and brings equipment like javelins from other countries. But more than anything, he inspires the young athletes in his village.