Neeraj Chopra became India’s first ever world champion this year, two years after becoming his country’s first Olympic champion in athletics.
Chopra’s first outing of the year set the tone for the rest of the season. With his first throw of the competition at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Doha, he sent his spear out to 88.67m to defeat world and Olympic medallist Jakub Vadlejch.
He notched up another Diamond League victory one month later in Lausanne, winning with 87.66m.
Chopra’s season ended on a high at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, where he successfully defended his title with a season’s best of 88.88m, leading an Indian 1-2 finish from compatriot Kishmore Kumar Jena.
Even though he has not yet been to touch his landmark distance of 90m, Neeraj has always maintained the time will come. And it is surely close.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Neeraj was asked how he knows when he managed a ‘good throw’.
“I have been training for 12 years. If you train for something this long and are constantly thinking about it, you naturally develop that understanding. Now the body knows if it is a good throw. Those early instinctive celebrations come automatically. The early celebrations don’t come if the throw isn’t good. Most throwers have that feel. In long jump, you will see (Murali) Sreeshankar or Jeswin (Aldrin) realise how their jump will go the moment they take off,” Neeraj Chopra was quoted sa saying by TIE.
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When asked about the controversial first throw at the Asian Games, which was not registerd due to technical issues at the venue. Neeraj Chopra said, “It was 88m-plus for sure, not 90m.”
Neeraj also express his wish to compete in a major international event on home soil, given the fact the he hasn’t comepted in India after securing Olympic Gold, he said.”I have a strong desire to compete in India. I really want India to host a big international event and the federation is also trying. Everyone is keen on seeing India host a big-ticket event. I hope it happens in the future and I am really looking forward to competing in India against international athletes in front of fans.”
