Tokyo Games: India register their best medal haul at Olympics
Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra, on Saturday, claimed the second gold medal (individual) for India at Olympics. He achieved the feat by winning the men's javelin throw final in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The 23-year-old clinched the first-ever Olympic medal in athletics for the nation (after 1947). He has extended India's tally in the ongoing Olympics to seven, making it the country's best performance.
India have won seven medals so far
India have registered their best haul of medals (7) in a single Olympics edition. Their previous-best haul came in the 2012 London Olympics, where they racked up six. India's medalists at the Tokyo Games: Mirabai Chanu (silver), Lovlina Borgohain (bronze), PV Sindhu (bronze), Indian men's hockey team (bronze), Ravi Dahiya (silver), Bajrang Punia (bronze), and Neeraj Chopra (gold).
India's medalists in the London 2012 Olympics
India's medalists in the London 2012 Olympics: Vijay Kumar (silver, shooting), Sushil Kumar (silver, wrestling), Saina Nehwal (bronze, badminton), Gagan Narang (bronze, shooting), Mary Kom (bronze, boxing), and Yogeshwar Dutt (bronze, wrestling).
Neeraj Chopra scripts history
Neeraj Chopra is only the second Indian to clinch an individual Olympic gold after former shooter Abhinav Bindra. His throw of 87.58m in the second attempt made him a top contender to win the javelin throw final. The former gave India their first medal in athletics after independence (1947). Notably, Norman Pritchard (British Indian) claimed the silver medal in 200m in 1900.
Tokyo Olympics: Feats attained by other Indian medalists
Earlier this month, PV Sindhu became the first Indian to secure two Olympic medals in badminton. Lovlina Borgohain became the third Indian boxer after Mary Kom and Vijender Singh to win a medal at the Olympics. Ravi Dahiya is only the second Indian wrestler to win an Olympic silver. The Indian hockey men's team clinched its first Olympic medal (bronze) since 1980.
India's performance at Olympics
India now have a total of 35 medals at Olympics. Chopra's title-finish extended India's tally of gold medals to 10. India have won eight gold medals in hockey and one each in shooting and athletics. India also own nine silver and 16 bronze medals at Olympics. Notably, wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav had won the first individual Olympic medal for India in 1952.