Neeraj Chopra has won all the titles in the sport but the Olympic and world champion believes in continuous improvement and believes that ‘there is no finish line for a thrower’. Chopra became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships. He achieved this feat by throwing the javelin at a speed of 88.17 meters. He has previously won Tokyo Olympic gold, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games (2018) gold, four Diamond League individual meet titles and last year’s Diamond League Champions Trophy. He was also the Junior World Champion in 2016 and the Asian Champion in 2017.
Neeraj Chopra wins gold medal, lots of fun, midnight celebration in his village
So now when asked what is left to win, he said in a virtual conversation, “It is said that there is no finish line for throwers. Best of all, we have spears. We can always do better. I may have won many medals but the motivation to throw better never fades.
He said, “I don’t want to think that I have achieved everything by winning this medal. I will work harder and win more medals. It would be great to have more Indian players on the podium with me next time.
There has been talk of breaking the 90m barrier for the past three-four years but Chopra said that was not a mental hurdle for him. He said, “I am feeling very good this year and I thought I would throw 90 metres. But the groin injury was a problem. Last year I was throwing about 90 meters. One day this obstacle will also be removed but there is no pressure on it.
“More important is the medal. I believe in continuity. This will be the same philosophy when I cross the 90m. I am working hard and looking forward to it.
Chopra said winning gold at the World Championships was a dream come true. “After the Olympic gold, I wanted to win the world championship. I wanted to get better at throwing. This was my dream.
Chopra missed three top events this year due to a groin injury. After June 30, he went directly to the World Championship. Regarding his rivalry with Pakistan’s silver medalist Arshad Nadeem, he said, “I don’t see it as an India-Pakistan rivalry. I don’t use mobile before the tournament but when I played mobile there was talk of India and Pakistan all around.
Neeraj Chopra’s name is written in golden letters in the history of Indian sports
“In the country we always talk about India vs Pakistan which is good for the competition but in a global tournament one has to focus on all the competitors. We talked about the fact that both countries are advancing in athletics. Europeans used to dominate javelin throw but now we are winning against them. People create the pressure of India-Pakistan rivalry. It will be more during the Asian Games. There is competition but I believe keep him healthy and believe in himself.