Neeraj Chopra wins javelin gold, scripts Indian athletics history

Milkha Singh 1958. Krishna Punia 2010. Vikas Gowda 2014. Neeraj Chopra 2018. The four Indians to have won individual gold medals at athletics in the history of the Commonwealth Games. Neeraj Chopra won India's first CWG javelin gold and second javelin medal with his monster 86.47 metre throw. The silver medalist, Hamish Peacock of Australia, could manage a score of only 82.59 metres. Such was Neeraj's dominance that the crowd gave him a standing ovation even after his last throw was declared a no-throw. His fourth throw would have earned him a silver medal at the Rio Olympics. [embed]https://twitter.com/TheBridge_IN/status/985032271886299136[/embed] Neeraj established a huge lead from the rest of his field with his first throw itself - 85.5 metres. Only two others could manage throws above 80 metres. He overstretched himself and stepped beyond the white line with his second throw. The fourth throw, however, put all doubts to rest if Neeraj would win gold. He registered 86.47 metres, just 1 cm short of his personal best established in 2016. In the qualifying round, Neeraj's 80.42-metre throw had been the fourth best. It was also one of only four throws to have crossed the 80-metre mark. None of Neeraj's throws on Saturday were less than 83 metres. Clearly, he was performing at a different level on medal day. [embed]https://twitter.com/TheBridge_IN/status/984605095965802496[/embed] [embed]https://twitter.com/afiindia/status/985031943384420352[/embed] The athletics contingent opened its medal account on Thursday with two medals in womens' discus throw - silver and bronze. Despite a few explosive shows, medals in athletics have not come as thick and fast as many would have liked. Javelin is untested waters for us. 20-year-old Neeraj, like many other very young athletes burning the Indian flame bright in track and field after many years, is the undisputed holder of the national record.