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India's ace Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra expressed happiness after sharing the podium with fellow Indian thrower Yashvir Singh at the Commonwealth Games.
He praised Yashvir for producing a personal best on a crucial occasion and said the moment reminded him of the Asian Games, where Indian athletes had also achieved a medal double. Chopra stressed that hearing the national anthem on the podium remains a special feeling and said his season-best performance reflects that his comeback is progressing well with more competitions ahead. India scripted history in athletics at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as Neeraj Chopra clinched the silver medal and debutant Yashvir Singh secured bronze in the men's javelin throw event, marking a memorable 1-2 finish for India on the podium. Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage produced a sensational performance to claim the gold medal with a best throw of 89.75m, which he achieved in his second attempt. "It brings back memories of the Asian Games, where Saurav and I both won medals. I'm really happy that Yashvir achieved a personal best at such a crucial moment. It feels great to be on the podium together. It's always a joy to hear the national anthem play. That said, I also achieved a season-best, and my comeback is progressing well. There are more competitions ahead, so I'm very happy," Chopra told the reporters. Chopra finished second with his best throw of 85.83m. The Olympic champion's final attempt ended in a foul, and he immediately realised it was not a clean throw, but his earlier effort was enough to secure the silver medal in his second Commonwealth Games appearance. Singh expressed immense joy after winning his first international medal and thanked his family and supporters for their encouragement. He revealed that the competition did not start as planned, but he stayed confident after noticing the bronze medal mark was within reach. "This is my first international medal, and I am overjoyed. Everyone supported me, my family, my parents, everyone... I am truly happy about this... things were going a bit sluggishly at the start. At one point, my throw was around 81.3 meters. I saw that the bronze medal mark was sitting at 82 meters. I told myself, 'I've already thrown 82 meters--my personal best--in this competition, so I can definitely go beyond that.' Things weren't going well up to the fifth throw, so for the final attempt, I decided to just go for it and see what happens. That last throw turned out really well," Singh said. Singh produced the biggest surprise of the event, winning bronze with a personal best throw of 85.41m in his sixth and final attempt. The 24-year-old, making his Commonwealth Games debut, surpassed his previous personal best of 83.72m and held off a strong challenge from several established athletes, including Anderson Peters and Arshad Nadeem. (ANI)
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