‘A great accomplishment’: PM on Neeraj Chopra's silver medal win at World Championships

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra for winning the silver medal at the World Championships in the javelin throw final, and described the feat as a special moment for Indian sports.

Chopra scripted history as he became only the second Indian and first male track and field athlete to win a medal in the World Championships by clinching silver in the javelin throw final in Eugene, US.

"A great accomplishment by one of our most distinguished athletes! Congratulations to @Neeraj_chopra1 on winning a historic Silver medal at the #WorldChampionships," Modi said in a tweet.

"This is a special moment for Indian sports. Best wishes to Neeraj for his upcoming endeavours," the prime minister said.

The 24-year-old Chopra, who had come into the showpiece as a hot medal favourite, produced a best throw of 88.13m to finish second.

The legendary long jumper Anju Bobby George was the first Indian to win a medal -- bronze -- in the World Championships in the 2003 edition in Paris.