With his successes in the Javelin Throw for India, Neeraj Chopra has sparked international interest. Already a sensation in India, he has emerged as the country’s athletics face. In a recent accomplishment, Neeraj surpassed superstar sprinter Usain Bolt to become the most written about athlete in 2022 for the first time.
Neeraj, 24, had a remarkable year in Javelin Throw, finishing runner-up at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, and became only the second Indian to earn a medal at such a high level following Anju Bobby George’s bronze medal in the women’s long jump in 2003. He also became India’s first athlete to win the Diamond League final in Javelin, winning gold with a massive throw of 88.44m.
According to World Athletics, which cited figures from media analysis firm Unicepta, Neeraj is the front-runner in popularity charts with 812 articles, which is more than a troika of Jamaican women sprint stars, Elaine Thompson-Herah (751 articles), Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce (698) and Shericka Jackson (679), with Bolt featuring in 574 articles.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe spoke on the matter and said “2022 looks and feels very different to me”.
“It is an interesting one. For the first time this year Usain Bolt has not led the list of the most written about athletes of the year,” Coe said in a briefing with international news agencies.
“For me it is a fabulous example of resilience and fortitude and simple determination to stay at the top of their game and they (athletes) have done that.
“It is primarily through their efforts that athletics has really started to grow again in popularity and gained more broadcast hours,” Coe added.
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