'Couldn't have asked for greater reward', says AFI chief after Neeraj Chopra's historic feat in Olympics

Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla on Saturday congratulated Neeraj Chopra for winning the gold medal in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.

The 23-year-old created history as he became the first from the country to win a gold in track and field in the Olympics. He threw a distance of 87.58m to pick the gold.

"Today is truly a momentous day for Indian Athletics! My heartiest congratulations to Neeraj, coach Dr Klause and the entire support team of, doctors, physios, nutritionists and sports science specialists," Sumariwalla said in a statement.

"Ever since I assumed the position of President of the Athletics Federation of India in 2012, my single-minded focus has been on raising the standard of track and field performances in India, providing opportunities at grassroots level to as wide a base of potential athletes as possible and bringing India her first Olympic medal in Athletics.

"My entire team at the Athletics Federation of India along with Dr Lalit Bhanot and I, with the support of the Sports Authority of India and the Dept of Sports, GOI, have worked tirelessly and consistently towards this goal.

"This medal brings with it a day of great jubilation and pride for me personally, for the Athletics Federation of India, for Indian Sport, and of course, for Neeraj and his family," he added.

The AFI chief said he couldn't have asked for a greater reward than to see an Indian athlete stand on the Olympic podium for the "very first time".

"Since the age of eighteen, Athletics has been my life's focus - as an Olympian athlete myself, as a coach who has trained an Olympian and as a sports administrator, both nationally and internationally," he said.

"I could not have asked for a greater reward than to see an Indian Athlete stand on the Olympic podium for the very first time! Congratulations TEAM INDIA, thank you for your tireless efforts. This is just the beginning of better things to come," added Sumariwalla.

( With inputs from ANI )