Athletics
Why Neeraj Chopra's gold medal is India's greatest sporting moment of the decade
You were there when history was made so count yourself in as being a part of one of India's finest moments in sports
Neeraj Chopra celebrating after winning the gold medal at Tokyo Olympics (Source: Reuters)
If you stayed on for the post event celebration of Neeraj Chopra, you would have noticed something very strange yet special. There was literally no one left in the stadium. Just a handful of Indian and Czech supporters cheering on the last 3 javelin throwers. While everyone was celebrating at one end of the stadium, Neeraj disappeared off the camera for a while. It later panned onto him running on the track, his head held high with the Indian flag in the air. He wasn't running for any crowd or fans in the seats. He was running for 1.3 billion people watching him back home. He knew it and this was his message of gratitude for the nation that has waited so long for this moment.
What makes this gold medal special is that it is India's first ever medal in an athletic event ever. The country has had to wait a long time and what we can say is that the wait has been worth it. Not to take away from any other sportspersons' victory but this moment will go down as one of the finest Indian sporting moments ever. Over 100 years for the country to see its flag go up in an athletic event. Let that sink in. It is a moment of pride and is one of the few times that the entire country has been glued to its phones, laptops and TVs in the past few decades.
Neeraj Chopra will get the resounding welcome he deserves when he returns home. He will not be forgotten. The gold medal will not be forgotten. This moment will always be remembered by Indians both young and old. It still hasn't sunk in for many and might not for a few more days. But if you ever like watching a throwback moment, switch on your streaming services and watch Neeraj's highlights from 7th August 2021. Trust us, there is no greater feeling than seeing the Indian flag go up at the Olympics.
This is truly one of the greatest sporting moments you will witness so cherish it while it lasts.
