Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra returns India, gets grand welcome at airport - WATCH

‘Golden Boy’ Neeraj Chopra and other Indian athletes who had stayed back in Tokyo for the closing ceremony of the showpiece event, returned back home on Monday (August 9). Fans and families arrived at the airport to welcome the athletes. Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Saturday had won a gold medal and this was the first medal won by an Indian athlete in track and field in the Games.

Supporters of Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya also gathered around at the Delhi Airport as the grapplers came back home after winning a bronze and silver medal respectively at the Tokyo Games.

That's the great Grand entry of #India's first track & field #Olympics Champion #NeerajChopra

Welcome home son of #India

What crazy scenes here at IGI airport pic.twitter.com/B3jR3FL54p — Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) August 9, 2021

"Athletics team is back from #Tokyo2020. Let's welcome them by sharing our #Cheer4India messages and encourage them for their future competitions," tweeted SAI Media.

Welcome home champions!

Athletics Team is back from the #Tokyo2020 Olympics. Lets welcome them with joy and excitement and #Cheer4India.

Watch the video and send in your best wishes in the comments below @PMOIndia @ianuragthakur @NisithPramanik @afiindia @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/9wJrvdzjPC — SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) August 9, 2021

With seven medals in Tokyo, India recorded its best performance in Olympics surpassing the six medal effort in London 2012.

#WelcomeChampions : बीजेपी MP @Tejasvi_Surya ने किया @Neeraj_chopra1 का स्वागत #TokyoOlympics2020 #Tokyo2020
LIVE - https://t.co/asaJAv45ul pic.twitter.com/rR4iBOR8tz — Zee News (@ZeeNews) August 9, 2021

 

This year the Games were held with COVID-19 induced restrictions and all events were held behind closed doors.

#WelcomeChampions LIVE : हॉकी टीम का एयरपोर्ट पर ज़ोरदार स्वागत #TokyoOlympics2020 #Tokyo2020 @AmanChopra_

अन्य Videos यहां देखें - https://t.co/ZoADfwSi4S pic.twitter.com/opdpRWDXTj — Zee News (@ZeeNews) August 9, 2021

About 11,000 athletes from over 200 countries competed in Tokyo Olympics. India recorded its best-ever haul at the Olympics with seven medals (one gold, two silver, and four bronze).

Neeraj (gold), Bajrang (bronze), Mirabai Chanu (silver), PV Sindhu (bronze), Lovlina Borgohain (bronze), men's hockey team ( bronze), and Ravi Kumar Dahiya (silver) won medals in the Tokyo Games.

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Talking about Neeraj, the star athlete from the Panipat district in Haryana created history after he clinched the gold in the javelin throw with an attempt of 87.58 metres, becoming only the second Indian after Abhinav Bindra to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics and the first in athletics.

Such was his dominance that Chopra stood top amongst all the 12 participating members in all the six rounds as he bagged the gold with a monstrous 87.5m throw in his second event.

Meanwhile, later in the evening, all the medal winners for the country will be felicitated by Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at an event at Hotel Ashoka in New Delhi.

As per the reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also interact with players through video conferencing during the event.