Neeraj Chopra completed a special full circle in sport in 2023, becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win every major medal available.
He won his, and India's, first World Athletics Championships gold and his second Asian Games gold medal, recovering from injuries and dramatic situations, standing tall under intense pressure and unforeseen circumstances, and becoming a prominent support system of Indian athletes across the board.
Off the track, Neeraj showed us he was not just a champion athlete but a champion human too. From supporting India's protesting wrestlers to standing up for compatriot Kishore Jena in the middle of his own competition, he showed us another level of greatness.
It was so improbable, it was like a movie script. And so -- for this one time only -- we've abandoned our usual format and gone the filmi route, giving Neeraj Chopra awards in multiple main categories.
Best Actor
Neeraj Chopra, for the incredible 2023 he had. The Olympic champion came back from a groin injury, became India's first track and field world champion and also successfully defended his Asian Games title. Along the way, he won two Diamond League events before finishing second in the final and also recorded his career's fourth-best throw: a perfect 88.88m. Of the six events he competed in 2023, he finished on top of the podium in four of them.
The highlight, of course, was that comeback at the Asian Games. Kishore was in the form of his life and it was the first time in eight years that Neeraj was trailing an Indian thrower. It appeared that Neeraj might just be relegated to the silver but, as Kishore later said, "Mujhe pata tha bhai saab maar denge (I knew Neeraj would throw past my mark)."
He produced a sublime comeback to go past Kishore and etch another historic day in Indian athletics.
Best Supporting Actor
Neeraj Chopra, for backing Indian athletes all through the year. He was literally everywhere. When Kishore was unable to get a visa on time to compete at the Worlds, Neeraj intervened to escalate the issue to the powers that be. When India's top wrestlers sat in protest against former Wrestling Federation of India's chief, Neeraj extended his support to them on social media.
Neeraj was a constant presence throughout the Asian Games village and made it a point to motivate everyone -- whether it was a brief chat with Kiran Baliyan before her shot-put bronze or patting Kishore when he claimed a new personal best or sprinting to celebrate with the men's 4x400m relay team at the finish line.
He'd started in January, giving a pep talk to the Indian team on the eve of the ICC U-19 Women's T20 World Cup final, which in itself was a remarkable breakthrough in Indian sports culture. And it wasn't just token support: on his birthday a few days ago, the AFI put up a picture of Neeraj cutting a cake. In the background, you can see the television running with the India vs Australia women's Test match.
Best Director
Neeraj will share this award with his coach Klaus Bartonietz and physiotherapist Ishan Marwaha for the foolproof plan they chalked out in 2023. For starters, Neeraj had suffered a groin injury last year and needed sufficient time to hit the ground running. That decision saw him begin his season in May...but his return was cut short as the groin injury resurfaced.
The trio went back to the drawing board and worked out yet another foolproof plan that saw Neeraj skip a couple of events but make a proper comeback and eventually win the Worlds as well as Asian Games titles.
- Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) February 26, 2023
Best Cinematography
Neeraj jumping onto the top of the Asian Games podium was one of the frames of 2023: arms raised in the air with childlike glee, his locks flying, and his face plastered with the biggest smile. It was the first title he had defended in his career, a moment to cherish for sure.
It was a place he was used to: the top block of the podium. But this time around, he had Kishore for company in the silver spot. Later, Neeraj said: "Hopefully, we can have three Indians on the podium soon, uska alag hi mazza hoga (that would be a different kind of joy)."
Fair Play Award
Of course, Neeraj.
Not many go to the extent Neeraj does to make his competitors feel comfortable. India and Pakistan have long had a strained relationship, but Neeraj has never let that seep into sports. At the 2018 Asian Games, a picture of him and Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem in a moment of bonhomie went viral; and when Nadeem was accused of using Neeraj's javelin without permission at the Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj stepped in to swat away that theory.
In 2023, Neeraj won the World Championships and Nadeem finished second. Neeraj was given an India flag, but there was no one from the Pakistan contingent to hand Nadeem a flag. While posing for the flashing cameras, Neeraj noticed this and gestured to Nadeem to join him under the India flag. It was a simple, small gesture that could have gone unnoticed. But it's these small gestures that set Neeraj apart.
Neeraj Chopra is ESPN India's Male Athlete of the Year 2023