He sought to set a good example for everyone else, but the calmness and the almost monk-like approach with which India’s premier javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra embraced his new national record performance in the Indian Grand Prix III at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports contrasted sharply with the excitement that it sparked.
Watch the replays of his throw over 88.07m on the Athletics Federation of India’s YouTube channel and you will see that he took it in his stride, focusing on keeping his body warm and getting on with what needed to be done next. He had one more attempt left, and he was keen to understand the challenges that a strong cross wind presented the competitors.
The delightful manner in which the 23-year-old is soaking in the pressure of being India’s best bet in the Olympic Games is more impressive than the record itself. He has been the epitome of the philosophy of preparing and delivering the best one can rather than worry about outcomes that are dependent on other competitors as well.
Moments after he won the competition, he was on the AFI stream and saying that he is focused on giving his 100 per cent in the Olympic Games. And this at a time when the interviewer pointed out that the nation was banking on him to become the first Indian to win an Olympic track and field medal. Clearly, he is not prone to hype that surrounds Indian sport at critical times.
The interviewer asked Neeraj Chopra a second time how he is preparing to live up to the expectations of the whole country. “Look, I shall give me best in training and in the competition. I believe that all those who come there will have done the best possible preparation. Everyone comes to win a medal for one’s country. It all depends on a given day and given time,” he said.
Besides his native humility, he is helped by his acute awareness of the intense competition that he will be part of in Tokyo. The likes of Johannes Vetter (Germany), Magnus Kirt (Estonia), Andreas Hofman (Germany), Edis Matusevicius (Lithuania), Bernhard Seifert (Germany) Marcin Krukowski (Poland) and Chen Chao Tsun (Chinese Taipei) have all thrown farther than him.
Asked by the Athletics Federation of India to front the national media in a digital press conference later in the evening, he responded to questions about the prospects of becoming the first Indian to win an Olympic medal with just as much poise and control, speaking yet again about doing his best in the run-up to and the competition itself.
“All athletes and coaches like improvement, even if it by one centimeter. I am happier that I learnt about throwing in windy conditions. It was not easy to understand the right angles to throw. There was one good release, and I am glad it led to a National record. I didn’t that it would be farther than 85m. Coach (Dr. Klaus Bartonietz) told me that it was a technically good throw,” he said.
“The wind was challenging us, but I am glad my body responded well. It was tough but I am happy I gained experience of throwing in crosswind and am happy with the national record outcome today. The gaps in competition have presented their own sets of questions,” he said, responding to a question about his taking part in only his second meet since September 2018.
“It was tough to return from an injury and rehab than from the long break imposed on us now (by the Covid-19 pandemic). There is always a fear and doubts at the back of the mind when coming back from injury. I was relaxed today, having qualified for the Olympic Games last year. I have kept myself fit and have trained well during the break,” Neeraj Chopra said.
“To be honest, the lockdown phase was tough, but when the grounds opened, we could gradually get back to training. The kind of training we needed for javelin was not possible for a long time. Yet, we were able to work hard on various aspects in the camps here in Patiala and in the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar,” he said.
“I focused on improving my release. In the 2018 Asian Games, a throw that landed only a metre and a half away from the sector line. In the Continental Cup in Ostrava, one went out of the sector. The coach and I have worked on it a great deal. I worked on my strength and technique and the long break helped me improve,” said the man who now has 13 of the top 15 throws by Indians.
Such relentless attention to detail can only help him, though he says it would be nice to compete internationally against the best before the Olympic Games. “It would help become familiar with them rather than face them only in Tokyo. That is how I would like to go to the big events like the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships,” he said.
Another aspect that surfaced on Friday was how deeply he cherishes the growth of Javelin Throw in India. “It feels good that my sport is growing and there is a good bunch of throwers now. Sahil did well today. Rohit is shaping up well, too. Shivpal has qualified for the Olympics. We are all trying hard to raise the profile of our sport,” he said, not being an island unto himself.
But that is only as far as his love for his sport is concerned. For many months now, he has isolated himself from his cell phone – and social media. “I know I have a job to do, and I do not want to be distracted,” he said. It is the exciting combination of awareness, responsibility and humility that makes Neeraj Chopra such a loveable champion.
