BCCI announces prize money for Tokyo 2020 winners; Rs 1 cr to gold-medalist Neeraj Chopra

In a bid to appreciate Team India's athletes' stellar performance at the Tokyo Olympics, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah on Saturday, August 7, announced cash rewards for the medal winners at the mega-sporting event. The announcement by Jay Shah comes after star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Saturday scripted history at the Tokyo Olympics as he won India's first gold medal at the mega-event. 

BCCI announces cash reward for India's medal winners at the Tokyo Olympics

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah announced that gold-medalist Neeraj Chopra will be rewarded with Rs 1 crore. Apart from Chopra, Rs 50 lakh each to the silver-medalist - weightlifter Mirabai Channu and wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya. And Rs. 25 lakh each to bronze medalist- shuttler PV Sindhu, boxer Lovlina Borgohain, and wrestler Bajrang Punia. Read Jay Shah's tweet here:

Earlier BCCI Secretary Jay Shah extended his wishes to Neeraj Chopra for winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also announced Rs 6 crore and a class I category job for Olympics gold-medalist Neeraj Chopra. Apart from CM Khattar, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh announced a special cash reward of ₹2 crores for Neeraj Chopra, a serving soldier of the Indian Army. 

Neeraj Chopra scripts history at Tokyo Olympics

Neeraj Chopra won the country's seventh medal and first gold in the Tokyo Olympics. Chopra joined shooter Abhinav Bindra (2008 Beijing Games) as India's individual gold winner in the Olympics. With this, the country surpassed the previous best haul of six medals achieved in the 2012 London Games.

Czech Republic throwers Jakub Vadlejch (86.67m) and Vitezslav Vesely (85.44m) took the silver and bronze respectively.

Neeraj Chopra came into the final as a medal contender after topping the qualification round on Wednesday, August 4, with a stunning first-round throw of 86.59m. But, only a few would have thought he would bludgeon his way to gold in such a dominant fashion at the grandest of the stage.

Season leader and pre-tournament gold favourite Johannes Vetter of Germany, who had thrown the javelin to 90m plus distances seven times between April and June, was eliminated after the first three throws as he was placed ninth with a best effort of 82.52m.

The top eight after the first three throws get three more attempts while the remaining four in the 12-man final are eliminated.

With his fifth career-best throw, Chopra has done something which the likes of late Milkha Singh and P T Usha could not do in 1960 and 1984 editions. No Indian has won a medal in athletics since the country started taking part in the Games in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium.

(Image Credits: @JayShah/Twitter/AP)