My dream was to fulfil Milkha Singh’s wish: Neeraj Chopra

Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has said it was his dream to fulfill the wish of legend Milkha Singh and win a medal for India at the Olympics in track and field.

Taking to Twitter, Neeraj replied to a message posted by Kiren Rijiju and wrote: “Thank you, sir. Mera bhi sapna tha ki Milkha Singh ji ki wish puri kar paun. Bas yehi umeed hai ki woh jahan bhi hai, ye dekh kar khush hue honge. (It was my dream to fulfill Milkha Singh ji’s wish. Hoping he will be happy to see me win the medal).” Rijiju had tweeted moments after Neeraj won the gold medal. “History has been made, Milkha Singh Ji’s wish is fulfilled as India wins first-ever Olympic medal in Athletics! A golden moment 4 India as Neeraj Chopra won Olympic Gold medal for India at #Tokyo2020 Congratulations @Neeraj_chopra1 on this historic achievement! #Cheer4India.” Neeraj’s historic golden throw in the Olympics has been listed as one of the 10 magical moments of athletics (track and field) in the Tokyo Olympics by World Athletics.

The 23-year-old created history on Saturday as he became the first from the country to win a gold in track and field in the Olympics. He threw the javelin to a distance of 87.58m to pick the yellow metal at the Tokyo Games.“Most keen followers of the sport had heard of Neeraj Chopra before the Olympic Games. But after winning the javelin in Tokyo, and in the process becoming India’s first athletics gold medallist in Olympic history, Chopra’s profile sky-rocketed,” the World Athletics website read.

“Still processing this feeling,” Neeraj recently posted. “To all of India and beyond, thank you so much for your support and blessings that have helped me reach this stage. This moment will live with me forever.”