Asian Games | Neeraj Chopra to be India’s flag-bearer for opening ceremony

20-year old Neeraj Chopra, who holds the national record after his throw of 87.43m at the Doha Games earlier this year, was named as the flag-bearer for the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Asian Games. Chopra is the reigning CWG champion and is one of India’s youngest squad members at this year’s Games.

The former 2016 junior champion, Chopra has quickly established himself as one of the future stars in the Indian sporting scenario. Earlier this year, the Panipat boy set a national record at the Federation Cup in Patiala where he threw 85.94m. But at this year’s Gold Coast CWG, he took it one step further with a throw of 86.47m. But he did not stop there and at the IAAF Diamond League in Doha, he threw a sensational 87.43m, which shattered the national record as well as gave the youngster his personal best even though he finished fourth in the tournament.

In the build-up to his first Asian Games, the lad from Haryana won gold at the Savo Games in France. However, the odds are against the youngster as no Indian javelin thrower has ever won an Asian Games gold, but if anyone could change that, it would be Neeraj.