New Delhi: India’s golden boy Neeraj Chopra returned home to a rapturous and, at times, chaotic welcome on Monday.
As the country’s first Olympic gold-medallist in athletics appeared at the arrival area of Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ filled the air.
If there were hundreds of people inside the airport, including Neeraj’s family members, there were more than a thousand waiting outside to greet the champion javelin thrower, male and female hockey players along with other medal winners like Bajrang Puniya, Ravi Dahiya and other contingent members.
Once Neeraj came out of the terminal, he was besieged by a swarm of humanity as everybody wanted to come close to him and take selfies or shake hands. Officials and security personnel had a tough time to help Neeraj board the car.
Watch the video shared by ANI:
#WATCH | #Olympics Gold medalist, javelin thrower #NeerajChopra received by a huge crowd of people at Delhi Airport. pic.twitter.com/PEhVCoNt60
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2021
India, which had sent the biggest ever contingent to the Olympics, achieved their best medal haul. They brought home 7 medals, including a gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze.
India’s previous best at a single Games was 6 medals, at the 2012 London Games.
The hockey teams got loud cheers for their heroic performances in Tokyo. While the men’s team beat mighty Germany 5-4 to bag a medal (bronze) after 41 years, the Rani Rampal-led women’s team stunned formidable Australia only to lose a close bronze play-off match against Argentina.
