Chopra calm as he builds up to end a 10-month wait
Neeraj Chopra is aware of the cult status he has achieved in Indian sport though stardom sits lightly on India’s Olympic javelin champion. He is grateful of the stream of felicitations that came his way after becoming only India’s second individual Olympic champion.
The almost unending functions though have left anticipation building among experts, millions of his newly acquired fans, and in the 24-year-old to see what trajectory the spear will take in his first competition since August 7, 2021 at Tokyo’s national stadium.
A robust 87.58m in his second attempt nailed the Olympic gold. In a virtual media interaction on Saturday from his training base in Antalya, Turkey, any anxiety in Chopra, as he waits to compete as Olympic champion, showed up only at the end of the 45-minute chat.
Reeling out his competition schedule for the season—he starts in Turku, Finland on June 14—leading to the July world championships, Chopra said the amount of travel involved, how his body reacts and his fitness and form will all dictate how many competitions he enters. “I’m competing after 10 months. It is exciting for me too. Whether there is pressure or not, I will see.”
A four-month training stint in the US from December with his German trainer Klaus Bartonietz helped reduce his weight. “I reduced between 12 to 14 kg,” he said, explaining that the real struggle is to build strength. All that is behind him as Chopra works on technique, power and rhythm at the Gloria Sports Arena.
Isn’t it unusual not to compete this long? “After Olympics, I got a lot of respect. I asked for training abroad and they quickly sent me abroad. The season anyway started only a month ago. It is not that anyone started too early.” Grenada’s world champion Anderson Peters threw a personal best 93.07m to win at the season-opening Doha Diamond League. Czech Jakub Vadlejch, the Tokyo silver medallist, too touched 90.88m. Both crossed 90m for the first time.
Chopra’s one goal for 2022 is to touch 90m. His best is 88.07m. There was no sign he was intimidated by Peters and Vadlejch. “He (Jakub) also had a dream. I also want to achieve my dream and try to throw 90m.”
“If I had known (Asian Games postponement) earlier, I would have opened my season in Doha. No problem.”
“I don’t have to break someone’s record. I want to do my best. How I manage my competition, the conditions, that will be my focus,” he said. “My main target is to stay fit, away from injury.”
Chopra is closely following other Indian javelin throwers. “DP Manu, Rohit (Yadav) and Sahil (Silwal) have crossed 80m and Annu Rani has broken the national record.” Meeting Czech javelin legend Jan Zelezny—he won three Olympic and world titles each—for Chopra was another lesson to stay humble. “I consider myself fortunate. God chose me. Everyone puts in effort. The Indian dream was fulfilled through me.”
Doping has cast a cloud over Indian athletics. Tokyo Olympians Kamalpreet Kaur (discus) and Shivpal Singh (javelin), effectively the India No 2 behind Chopra, have tested positive. “Show patience, there is no shortcut… Trust yourself, train hard,” Chopra advised young athletes.
So, is he ready 100 percent to re-enter competition? “It is not about one thing,” he said, explaining that even if he threw the distance he wanted but didn’t feel the strength in the gym, in his jumping, it won't be ideal.
“The most important thing is technique, body control, flexibility, etc. All these things need to come together. Everything should be perfect.”
India, and the javelin world, awaits the Olympic champion.
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