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Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, despite his impressive trophy collection, believes he hasn't reached his peak yet. He's aiming to not only surpass the 90m mark but to make it a regular achievement, especially as he prepares for the upcoming Paris Games.
The 25-year-old Haryana native, who competed for most of the season with a groin injury, clinched the World Championships title in Budapest in August. He secured second place in the Diamond League finals in September and recorded a throw of 88.88m, defending his Asian Games gold in Hangzhou.
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Reflecting on his performance, he mentioned in a virtual chat, "I am happy that I pushed myself and ended with a season-best effort. But it also made me wonder if I were fit and 100 per cent in my technique then how long could I have thrown."
He added, "I feel I am still a lot away from that." For Chopra, winning the World Championships and retaining his Asian Games gold, especially given his injuries, has been particularly gratifying. He expressed his desire to have thrown even further, but injuries and other challenges held him back.
Jokingly addressing the expectations around him, he said, "I had said earlier in the season that I want to finish off the 90m question, so sorry I couldn't do it. Now, I guess I have given you the chance to ask me again about it."
Ever since his gold win at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Chopra has been anticipated to cross the 90m mark. While he's come close, some of his competitors have already achieved this feat.
Discussing his aspirations, he stated, "I mean 90m is not impossible because if I am getting close, I can go beyond 90m, maybe 92m or 93m." He emphasised the need to maintain consistency once he crosses the 90m mark and shared his plans to enhance his physical strength.
His Asian Games campaign began with some controversy when his initial throw, which appeared to be around 85m, wasn't measured. However, he successfully defended his gold with an 88.88m throw on his fourth attempt.
Chopra pointed out the organisational issues at the Asian Games, expressing disappointment with the host nation, China. He said, "China has hosted some big events like Olympics, world championships and Asian Games and I think it will have some effect because World Athletics must have taken notice of it and I hope it doesn't happen again."
He further elaborated on the challenges of staying focused, especially when external factors disrupt an athlete's rhythm, concluding, "So when you are in a zone and such things happen, it can take you away from your focus."
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