‘I didn’t know it would be gold, unbelievable feeling’

"It feels unbelievable. It is the first time India has won a gold in athletics, so I feel very good. We have just one gold here in other sports," the 23-year-old said after winning the historic gold.

Tokyo: “It feels unbelievable,” said star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra after his history-making gold in the Olympics on Saturday, claiming to have been unsure of a top podium finish despite a remarkably confident performance.

“It feels unbelievable. It is the first time India has won a gold in athletics, so I feel very good. We have just one gold here in other sports,” the 23-year-old said after winning the historic gold.

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“This is our first Olympic medal for a very long time, and in athletics it is the first time we have gold, so it’s a proud moment for me and my country.” Asked if he was surprised to win gold which also featured German great Johannes Vetter, he said, “In the qualification round I threw very well so I knew I could do better in the final. But I didn’t know it would be gold but I am very happy.”

Few would have thought that Chopra would bludgeon his way to gold in such a dominant fashion at the grandest of the stage. Just like in the qualification round, Chopra began with a bang by sending the spear to a distance of 87.03m and then improved it to 87.58m, his best of the day which none in the field could match.

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