'Showing how it's done': Neeraj Chopra hailed on social media after 88.77m throw in World Athletics Championships

Neeraj Chopra sent out a stern warning to his rivals on Friday when he qualified for the final of the men’s javelin throw event at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest with a season-best effort of 88.77 metres. Chopra not only topped the qualification round of the javelin throw event and was comfortably ahead of his competitors. He needed just one throw to book his place in the final. The Tokyo Olympic gold medallist had collected silver at the World Championships — India’s second medal at the premier athletics event — in Eugene last year. He will be hoping to go one step further at the Hungarian capital in the final that takes place on Sunday, the final day of the competition. Chopra’s effort was also enough for him to qualify for the Paris Olympics that takes place next summer. The qualifying period for next year’s Olympics began on 1 July and 85.50 metres had been set as the automatic qualifying mark. His throw on Friday was better than his effort of 87.58 metres that helped him win India’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in athletics. Here are some of the reactions to Chopra’s performance in the qualifying round:  

Done and Dusted in the very first Attempt!

That's our #TOPScheme athlete, @Neeraj_chopra1 for you😎

Congratulations to Neeraj on making it to your 2nd consecutive final of the World Championships with a season-best throw of 88.77m and also for securing a #Paris2024 🎟 Olympic… pic.twitter.com/B1LOgsmJAU

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) August 25, 2023

Neeraj Chopra’s first throw of 88.77m propels him straight into the #WACBudapest23 final. 🤩#NeerajChopra #Budapest23 #CraftingVictories 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/znGTemijYC

— Inspire Institute of Sport (@IIS_Vijayanagar) August 25, 2023

More from Sports

BWF World Championships 2025: PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy cruise into second round with straight-game wins 'I just stood my ground': Only Indian Grandmaster to beat Magnus Carlsen with black in 14 years

What's the fuss all about? Neeraj Chopra qualifies for the final of the men's javelin throw at the world Championships with a seasons best of 88.77m in his very fist throw of the competition. pic.twitter.com/ePyMSe1UTP

— jonathan selvaraj (@jon_selvaraj) August 25, 2023

I think @Neeraj_chopra1 has 3 middle names - Cool, Calm and Consistent https://t.co/pDLYctC51Q

— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) August 25, 2023

Showing how it's done ‼️

🇮🇳's @Neeraj_chopra1 launches an absolute missile in the first round of the men's javelin throw.

88.77m and a big Q to the final 🙌#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/Zfz2MFU10P

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 25, 2023

The question is not how far but how many Javelins Neeraj Chopra can throw at the same time! The Olympic champion nails a one-and-done qualifying throw over 88.77m in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. pic.twitter.com/D9avNbo4rc

— G Rajaraman (@g_rajaraman) August 25, 2023

  Besides Chopra, DP Manu (81.31m) and Kishore Jena (80.55m) were the other Indians to qualify for the final. Though neither could go past the automatic qualification mark of 83 metres, they managed to finish among the top 12 performers at the end of the qualifying round. Earlier in the women’s javelin throw event, India’s Annu Rani failed to qualify for the final after posting a best effort of 57.05 metres that was both well short of the automatic qualifying mark and did not land her a place among the top 12.