Neeraj Chopra, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in Javelin throw, is poised to be India's prime contender for another gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. His historic win in Tokyo marked him as only the third Indian athlete to win an individual Olympic medal, following Norman Pritchard and Abhinav Bindra.
Neeraj Chopra shoulders India's Javelin hopes in Paris
Despite his newfound fame, Chopra stays grounded. He acknowledges cricket's dominance in Indian sports culture, stating that his popularity doesn't compare to cricketing legends like Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni. This doesn't diminish his ambition, however. Chopra aspires to elevate Javelin's popularity in India, but not at the expense of other sports. He envisions a future where all sports flourish in the nation.
"If you respect your sport and feel satisfied with it, then nothing else should matter," Neeraj Chopra told Sportstar.
"At the Doha Diamond League, I was asked how popular I was in India. I never tried to compare myself with the likes of Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni because I’m very well aware of the reality of what I am in India," he added.
"Yes, obviously, after the Olympics, people recognize me a lot more, but I know there is a stark difference in my popularity compared to that of a cricketer. Cricket is played in every single alley in the country. It’s not like people practise javelin throw in the same way," Neeraj further stated.
Neeraj Chopra expressed his determination to shoulder the responsibility of inspiring more fans to Javelin. He aims to deliver performances that will captivate audiences and draw them into following the sport more closely.
"I don't want any shortcuts to making my sport popular. I want my sport to become popular with my hard work and effort," 26-year-old said.
"If there are more javelin-based competitions in India, like the Diamond League, people will become more interested in watching and following the sport. With talented javelin athletes in India, there should be national-level leagues to compete. This would help to boost the sport in India," India's javelin superstar concluded.
The road to gold won't be easy for Chopra. He'll face off against formidable competitors like Anderson Peters, Jakub Vadlejch, and Arshad Nadeem. However, the reigning champion and current world number 1 remains laser-focused on retaining his Tokyo title in Paris.
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