To come back into medal contention in windy conditions was challenging: Neeraj Chopra

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra is not used to lagging behind in major competitions and the World Championships javelin final in Eugene had more than its usual share of twists and turns.

Chopra fouled his first throw and was not in medal contention and halfway through the final, wasn't it medal contention. But his effort of 88.13m with his fourth attempt put him in silver medal position behind Anderson Peters at second position.

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Chopra stayed calm during the tough phase because the windy conditions were making it tough for all the throwers at Hayward Field. He knew that if he could get one big throw in, he would be right back in the mix.

“I never lost self-belief. I was putting all effort for one good throw and get into medal position. With the fourth throw, I could feel it has gone better. Conditions were tough today and there was wind blowing from the front. It was a challenging situation and I am happy I was able to overcome it and win India a world championships medal after 19 years,” said Chopra in a media interaction.

He bettered long jumper Anju Bobby George’s bronze medal from the 2003 world championships in Paris, which was India’s only medal from the worlds before this. After his Tokyo gold medal, Chopra had raised expectations. He was in fine form going into the Worlds and set his personal best of 89.94m in the lead-up. In the qualification, Chopra threw a distance of 88.39m in his first attempt.

“You can’t win a gold medal every time. You can only give your best. Yes, I will have the hunger – and it is important to have it -- to win gold next time. The World Championships are next year and I will try to better my result. There is lot to learn from today,” he said.

Despite the tough conditions, Peters was operating at different level and three of his six throws soared past 90m. He opened with a massive throw of 90.21m, laying down the marker for the rest of the 12-thrower field. Next came 90.46m, and he had enough energy in his reserves to wrap up with an even bigger 90.54m with his final and sixth throw.

Chopra, who opened the proceedings, fouled his first attempt. He recorded 82.39m in his second and came up with a better 86.37m with his third. Still, he was not in contention for a medal with Peters, Jakub Vadlejch (88.09) and Julian Weber (86.86) in front of him after three rounds. With his 4th throw Chopra stormed into second position. But then he fouled his next two throws.

“It was not like the qualifying where I got a good throw with my first attempt. To comeback today was challenging. As the competition went on, my mind was focused on every throw to put the best effort. I was thinking of how to manage the situation. You are in the competition till the last throw because you never know when that throw comes. When the 4th throw came, I knew it was good,” he said.

Asked about Peters’ making it look so easy despite tough conditions, Chopra said every situation is different for an athlete.

“You might feel like he was throwing 90m with ease but it’s not so. He was putting lot of effort and it was his day. He managed the conditions well. He is the world leader this season and in good form. Every day, every situation is different for us. Peters found it difficult at the Olympics and was not even in the final but today he had three throws beyond 90m.”

“The competition in World Championships is tougher than Olympics, if you see the records books. The field was so strong and many of them had their personal best his season. I did not feel any pressure as an Olympic champion, only focus was to get a good throw and get into medal contention.”

Chopra and Peters will soon have another face-off at the Commonwealth Games, where the Indian is a defending champion. “I am happy for him. If he is throwing so well, it is also a challenge for me to work hard and catch up.”

Chopra called the World Championships a new beginning for Indian athletics. “It was India’s first medal after Anju Bobby George. And we had six athletes in the final, so many Indians doing well. It’s a proud moment and a good beginning for Indian athletics.”

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