Neeraj Chopra. (Photo by Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

LUCKNOW: Illustrious athlete and two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra, who was in the city on Saturday, recollected his experiences of Lucknow and said that his target is to achieve the 90-metre throw.
“My recollections of Lucknow are indelibly etched in my mind. It was in this city that I won my inaugural gold medal in the national junior athletic championship back in 2012,” he recalled.
He added that he visited the city again after winning the gold at the Tokyo Olympics four years ago, but this was his first time exploring the city’s beauty.
On his future plan, Neeraj said his target was to throw beyond 90 metres. “Everyone expected a gold from me at the Paris Olympics. I was confident of gold but had a fear of injuries. I won medals in two World Championships, but injury still bothers me and prevents me from training effectively. I can’t push myself. I know I can do better, but I lack confidence due to injury. I want to be fully fit before returning to the field,” he said.
“After that, the journey through Diamond League, Asian Games, and Olympics was good. I am grateful to God for what I have achieved. However, I won’t stop here. Winning gold at the World Championship for the country has now become my mission,” he said.
“I try my best to avoid injuries. I underwent surgical intervention for a fracture in my hand in Switzerland, but I am averse to enduring another surgery,” he said.
Speaking on controversy over the removal of his coach Klaus Bartonietz, Neeraj said, “Bartonietz is 75. He is aged and wants to spend time with his family, so it is his decision, and we respect it. Search for a new coach is on, and India will hire another foreign coach.”
Neeraj said that there was intense competition among athletes at the domestic level in India, which is why excellent players were coming up. “Just look at the Germans. When their domestic structure was strong, their athletes dominated the world,” he said.
Speaking about training exposure abroad for Indian athletes, he said: “In North India, it gets quite cold, so I used to go to the South. I went to Bhubaneswar. But now, I train in South Africa. The weather is quite good and facilities for javelin are excellent. Earlier, in India, there was so much travel that it was hard to maintain a proper balance between training and competitions. So, I stay abroad, and the weather and diet remain consistent, which benefits my training. I can focus more when I’m abroad. In India, there are always household chores or places to go, which can be distracting.”
“I believe Indian athletes are performing well and winning medals, and they came very close in the Olympics too. In the Olympics, we saw several fourth positions. I think the mindset of our athletes is changing, and now when they go to compete, they have better focus,” he added.
Neeraj said that people support their children to take up sports. “Everyone should choose a sport to stay healthy. Sports is not just about winning gold; reaching the finals is also a significant achievement,” he added.
“Efforts are being made to host the 2036 Olympics in India. We should plan for our junior athletes, who are 15-16 years old, to prepare them early. Schools and colleges can contribute significantly by balancing academics and sports for children,” he added.