Tokyo Olympics: ‘A symbol of experience we will always treasure’: Bindra congratulates Neeraj Chopra on historic gold

Neeraj Chopra on Saturday scripted history by winning India’s first-ever gold medal in athletics during the Tokyo Olympics. And if there is anyone who knows what it feels like to win an individual gold medal for India, it is none other than 2008 Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra. Fittingly enough, he had a special message for India’s second individual gold medallist.

In a thread on Twitter, Bindra congratulated Chopra, who won the top prize with a throw of 87.58m in the men’s javelin throw event. The third tweet had video in which Bindra said: (Full Tokyo 2020 Coverage>

“Dearest Neeraj, I know how much effort and belief has gone into your quest to be the best and win that gold medal at your first Olympics. it is such an emotional moment for me as it was for every Indian. The world is your playground and your achievement will be a symbol of experience which we will always treasure. My sincerest congratulations and all my respect.”

In another tweet, Bindra uploaded a signed letter for the Tokyo 2020 men’s javelin champion.

TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS DAY 15 BLOG

Neeraj is the first Indian in over 120 years, and the first athlete from independent India, to win an Olympic medal in a track-and-field discipline. Neeraj won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event with a throw of 87.58m in his second attempt.

The only medal that India had won in track-and-field events was back in 1900 when British-Indian Norman Pritchard had won two silver medals in Paris. The International Olympic Committee still credits Norman Pritchard’s medals to India though various research, including the records of then IAAF (now World Athletics), showed that he had competed for Great Britain.

Neeraj Chopra’s gold took India’s medal count to seven at the Tokyo Olympics – the best ever, bettering the tally of six medals at the London Olympics in 2012. Chopra also became the sixth Indian athlete to win an individual medal at Tokyo 2020 joining weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, shuttler PV Sindhu, boxer Lovlina Borgohain, wrestlers Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Bajrang Punia.