The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has nominated Neeraj Chopra, an Olympic-bound javelin thrower, for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.
23 years old Chopra was nominated after the Odisha government suggested sprinter Dutee Chand for the same top award.
Since 2018, this is the fourth time Chopra is considered for the Khel Ratna award.
“Neeraj has been recommended by the awards committee for the Khel Ratna this year,” an official source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Chopra received the Arjuna Award in 2018 after winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast. He was also nominated for the Khel Ratna that year.
After winning gold at the 2018 Asian Games, he was nominated for the Khel Ratna again in 2019. He was also nominated for the award last year.
Chopra is now in Europe, practicing for the Tokyo Olympics after qualifying in January 2020 in South Africa. Since June 10, he has participated in three events in Portugal, Sweden, and Finland.
He was scheduled to compete in a competition in Switzerland on Tuesday, but he withdrew to allow his body to recuperate after a long period of travel.
On July 13, he is slated to compete in the Diamond League in Gateshead, England. Chopra’s greatest event before the Olympics, which begin on July 23.
Chopra placed third with an 86.79m performance in the Kuortane Games in Finland on Saturday, trailing season leader and 2017 global champion Johannes Vetter (93.59m) and 2012 Olympic gold medalist and 2016 Games bronze medalist Keshorn Walcott (89.12m).
Chopra’s third-best performance this season came in March at the NIS Patiala, when he rewrote his national record with a throw of 88.07m at the Indian Grand Prix 3. He threw 87.80m during the Federation Cup at the same place a few days later.