How Neeraj Chopra inspired Paralympic javelin champion Navdeep Singh

Navdeep Singh, a rising Indian para-athlete, made headlines at the 2024 Paris Paralympics by winning the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw. He initially won the silver, but a surprising turn of events saw him upgraded to gold.

His record throw of 47.32 meters earned India its seventh gold medal at the games. Navdeep’s win came under unique circumstances, making his achievement even more remarkable. In a recent interview, Navdeep Singh spoke about how Neeraj Chopra inspired him to take up Javelin throw.

Watching him since 2016: Navdeep Singh on Neeraj Chopra

“I started after watching him in 2016, when he broke the junior world record. I was just scrolling through YouTube and then a video came saying a boy from Panipat had broken the world record. Then I didn’t know what it was all about. Then I saw and understood that he had broken the record at the junior level. From there I started my love for javelin. Then I had two choices, either I take up shot put or javelin,” Navdeep told India Today in an interview.

“So my first choice I went with javelin. And from there I never let javelin go away from me,” said Navdeep.

Who is Paralympic javelin winner Navdeep Singh?

Navdeep Singh is a para-javelin thrower from Haryana, India. Born on November 11, 2000, he competes in the F41 category, which is for athletes of short stature. Growing up in Haryana, Navdeep faced challenges due to his dwarfism. Sport was his escape from the taunts he faced.

Initially drawn to wrestling like his father, a back injury in 2011 forced him to quit the sport. Navdeep later shifted his focus to javelin in 2017 after being inspired by Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra.

Under the guidance of para-athlete Sandeep Chaudhary, Navdeep trained hard and quickly climbed the ranks. His first major international success came in 2017 when he won a gold medal at the Asian Youth Para Games.