Neeraj Chopra, the junior world champion in javelin throw, won gold in the men’s javelin throw final event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast on Saturday. (CWG live updates)
Neeraj, who has consistently crossed the 80m mark this season, threw his seasonal best of 86.47 to clinch the top position in the event and became the first Indian javelin thrower to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Australia’s Hamish Peacock finished second while Grenada’s Anderson Peters rounded off the top three.
The 20-year-old junior world champion had made the final after achieving the qualifying mark in his very first throw yesterday.
Neeraj was favourite for gold here after his 85.94m throw last month at Patiala during Federation Cup National Championships.
The field had been depleted after Olympics and world silver medallist Julius Yego of Kenya failed to qualify for final round, while 2012 Olympic champion and Rio Games bronze winner Keshorn Walcott opted out of the CWG.
Another Indian javelin thrower Vipin Kashana was par of the finals line-up but could only finish fifth.
India narrowly missed out on another athletics medal later on Saturday. Arpinder Singh made the final list of competitors in the men’s triple jump final, but his final score of 16.46 was only good enough for a fourth place finish.
(With PTI inputs)
