Neeraj Chopra urges junior athletes to 'keep up momentum' after good show at World U20 C'ships

New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra on Monday urged the junior athletes of the country to keep up the momentum after their good show in the World Athletics U20 Championships in the USA where they won three medals.

With two silver and one bronze in the championships in Eugene, India equalled the medal haul of the 2021 and 2022 editions.

Chopra, who had won a javelin gold and set still-standing world junior record of 86.48m in the 2016 edition, said not only winning the medals, the youngsters must have gained experience of competing with international athletes in the championships.


"Congratulations to the entire Indian contingent at the U-20 World Athletics Championships, who gave their best for the country and returned not just with medals, but so much of exposure and experience of competing with international athletes," Chopra wrote on 'X'.

"Keep building on this momentum!"

High jumper Basant Kumar Meghwal and long jumper Shahnawaz Khan won a silver and a bronze to become the first Indians to win a medal each in their respective events in the global U20 showpiece.

"A first of many for Basant Kumar Meghwal and Shahnawaz Khan, who won Silver and Bronze at the U-20 Worlds in the Men's High Jump and Long Jump, respectively. Kudos to them and the team behind the scenes working with such incredible talent!" Chopra said in another message.

Ashish Yadav had opened India's medal account with a silver in the men's javelin throw, and Chopra had already expressed his happiness about another javelin thrower from the country winning yet another medal in the junior showpiece.

"Always a great feeling to see Indian athletes competing and winning at the International level, this one is little more special for me as a javelin thrower. Super proud of you Ashish on your Silver at the U-20 Worlds, this is just the start!"

From 2002 to 2018, India won just four medals in the World Athletics U20 Championships, including a gold each from Chopra (men's javelin throw in 2016) and Hima Das (women's 400m race in 2018).

Discus thrower Seema Antil won India's first ever medal in the World Athletics U20 Championships with a silver in the 2002 edition in Jamaica, before Navjeet Kaur Dhillon won a bronze in the same event in 2014 in the USA.

In 2021 edition, Amit (men's 10,000m race walk) and Shaili Singh (women's long jump) won a silver each while the mixed 4x400m relay team bagged a bronze.

In 2022, Selva Prabhu Thirumaran (men's triple jump) and mixed 4x400m relay team clinched a silver each while Rupal Chaudhary (women's 400m) bagged a bronze.

India won one medal in the 2024 edition, a bronze through Aarti in the women's 10,000m race walk event.