Neeraj Chopra, who is now back in competition, gave his gold-medal winning javelin from the Tokyo 2020 Games to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland on Saturday. He expressed his hope that the presence of the javelin will inspire younger generations. Abhinav Bindra, a shooting star who has won Olympic gold, also joined the track and field athlete.
Taking to Twitter, Chopra wrote, ‘It was an honour to visit and donate my Tokyo 2020 javelin to the Olympic Museum yesterday. I hope its presence can inspire the younger generation to keep working hard towards their dreams’. He went on to say that Bindra’s presence made the occasion even more memorable for him.
Chopra’s javelin joined Bindra’s victorious rifle from Beijing 2008 in the extensive patrimonial collection of Olympic artefacts in the Museum, which aims to preserve the Olympic legacy and motivate present and future generations.
‘I’m grateful for this occasion. It is a privilege to join the hallowed galleries of the Olympic Museum, a space where the most iconic moments from Olympic history are showcased. For any athlete, it is a great honour to be able to inspire others’, said Chopra in a statement to the Indian Olympic association.
The incumbent Olympic champion and current holder of the Indian national record, 23-year-old Chopra, won the gold medal with a throw of 87.58 metres on his second try. Following Bindra’s victory in the men’s 10-metre air rifle competition at Beijing 2008, Chopra became the second individual Indian to win a gold medal for India at the Games.
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