Neeraj Chopra has spurred global interest with his exploits in Javelin Throw for India. Already a superstar back home in India, he has become the face in athletics for the country. In a latest achievement, Neeraj has displaced the legendary sprinter Usain Bolt to top the list of the most written about athletes for the first time in 2022.
The 24-year-old Neeraj had an amazing year in Javelin Throw as he finished runner-up in the world championships in Eugene, Oregon and became only the second Indian to win a medal at such level after Anju Bobby George’s bronze in the women’s long jump in 2003. He also became the first athlete from India to win the Diamond League final in Javelin as he clinched gold medal with a massive throw of 88.44m.
ALSO READ: ‘Thank you so much, Kerala’: Neymar pens emotional note for Brazil fans in Indian state
As per World Athletics which has quoted figures from media analysis company Unicepta, Neeraj is the front-runner in popularity charts with 812 articles which is better than that of a troika of Jamaican women sprint stars, Elaine Thompson-Herah, with 751 articles, world 100m champion Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce (698) and world 200m champion Shericka Jackson (679), with Bolt featuring in 574 articles.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe spoke on the matter and said “2022 looks and feels very different to me”.
“It is an interesting one. For the first time this year Usain Bolt has not led the list of the most written about athletes of the year,” Coe said in a briefing with international news agencies.
Coe also talked about Bolt’s contribution to Athletics after retirement and highlighted his valuable role in promoting the sport despite being engaged in several sponsorship and publicity deals.
“He(Bolt) did a lot of work around Tokyo (the Olympics last year) and he has been there and thereabouts for Diamond League events,” said Coe.
“I know the guys who work alongside him and he is pretty busy commercially, and contracted across extensive areas. The more time with Usain the better but there are constraints across that,” he concluded.
