Watch: Neeraj Chopra's monstrous gold medal-winning throw of 87.58 meters 

Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wins gold medal at the Olympics
Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wins gold medal at the Olympics

Neeraj Chopra created history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal in Olympic athletics. The javelin thrower amazed everyone after displaying one of the best performances by an Indian in a track and field event.

The intent was to be seen on his very first throw, as he recorded a humongous 87.07-meter effort to take the lead among the 12 throwers in the final. He bettered that with another stunning throw that propelled him to the gold medal. Neeraj Chopra recorded a jaw-dropping distance of 87.57 meters in his second attempt to bag a gold medal for India.

Watch: The gold medal-winning throw by Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj Chopra dominated the event right from the qualifiers. The Indian had the event won in his first two attempts itself. From there on, Neeraj looked extremely confident as he knew that he was on his way to claim Olympic gold

Johannes Vetter finishes 9th in the final

Johannes Vetter was regarded as one of the favorites to win the gold medal. The German had seven 90-meter throws this year. However, Vetter once again failed to deliver on the biggest stage of them all. The German's best attempt at the event was an 82.52-meter throw - way lower than his personal best of 97.29 meters.

Vetter seemed to be off right from the start. On his second attempt, the German slipped and it looked like he might have injured his foot. After that, there was no coming back for him.

Fans react to Neeraj Chopra's gold medal

The whole of India was ecstatic after Neeraj Chopra's stunning gold medal triumph. The victory was the perfect end to India's glorious Olympic campaign. Fans poured in with messages of appreciation for the javelin thrower on the historic feat that he had achieved.

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