Neeraj Chopra's t-shirt inducted into World Athletics heritage collection

Monaco: Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is among 23 athletes whose competition artefacts have been inducted into the World Athletics Heritage Collection, currently on display in the online 3D platform of the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA).

Chopra, who became India's first Olympic gold medallist in athletics when he clinched the top podium finish at the Tokyo Games in 2021, has donated the competition t-shirt he wore at the Paris Games this year.

With his second round throw of 89.45m, Chopra secured the silver medal in Paris behind Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, who created an Olympic record with a 92.97m effort.

Besides Chopra, Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the World Athletics (WA) women's field event athlete of the year, and her fellow Paris Olympic medallist Thea LaFond are among the athletes whose competition artefacts have been inducted into the heritage collection.

WA president Sebastian Coe lauded the athletes for donating their competition gear and medals.

"Keeping our Olympic collection up to date, we are proud to be announcing donations from a trio of Paris 2024 medallists: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (high jump), Thea LaFond (triple jump) and Neeraj Chopra. Thank you to the athletes who have so kindly donated their competition clothing, shoes and even medals to our museum's collection in 2024," said Coe in a statement.

"This year we have received historic Olympic-winning items from two icons of the 1960s, Wyomia Tyus and Billy Mills, and from 1980 Olympic 100m champion Allan Wells, plus the 2000 and 2008 Olympic heptathlon gold medallists, respectively Denise Lewis and Nataliia Dobrynska.

“With world record setting shoes and singlets from Filbert Bayi (middle-distance runner), David Rudisha (middle-distance) and Devynne Charlton (hurdler) also among this year's inductions, it is worth reminding ourselves that there would be no collection, no Museum of World Athletics, without the athletes selflessly supporting our heritage programme. Thank you for your generosity."