'It is everything': Neeraj Chopra explains what the Olympic gold medal means to him

Indian athlete and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra broke India's 13-year jinx for a gold medal on Saturday after he created history by bringing the country its first Olympic gold medal in track and field, a wait that lasted almost a century. The 23-year-old Olympic debutant clinched a gold medal in the Javelin throw at Tokyo Olympics 2020 to become only the second man after Abhinav Bindra to achieve the feat for India. 

In a heartwarming video posted by Karishma Singh on Instagram, Neeraj Chopra was asked what the gold meant to him after the match. Pointing to the medal around his neck, he called it his 'everything'. In the video, the Olympic medalist says, "This is everything, according to me."

Tokyo Olympics 2020: Neeraj Chopra wins gold

Neeraj Chopra, on Saturday, scripted history at the Tokyo Olympics as he won India's first gold medal at this year's event and ended the county's century-long wait of winning a gold medal in athletics at the Olympic games. Chopra brought his A-game from the first round itself.

In the first round, Neeraj Chopra broke his qualification record with his throw reaching 87.03m high. His second throw was at 87.58m, and his third throw touched 76.79m. The Indian athlete's second throw helped him advance into the second round. While Chopra's first two throws in the second round were dismissed as fouls, his third throw neared the 84m mark. 

Chopra’s throw of 87.58 meters in his second attempt was enough for him to win the javelin title at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. India has previously won only two silver medals in the Olympic track and field by Norman Pritchard in the 200m and the 200m hurdles at the 1900 Paris Games. 

By virtue of this emphatic triumph, Neeraj Chopra won the country's seventh medal and first gold in this year's Olympic games. The victory also helped India surpass its previous best haul of six medals achieved in the 2012 London games.

Two Czechs, Jakub Vadlejch with a throw of 86.67m and Vitezslav Vesely with a throw of 85.44m won silver and bronze respectively.