Everyone knows Neeraj Chopra; Then again, no one really does!
The HinduHow can anyone in a nation starved for genuine sporting heroes and success on the biggest stages know a man who, at 25, has won everything there is on offer? On August 27 night – early hours of August 28 in India with the time difference – a nation stayed awake to watch him tick that one remaining box and was rewarded with the familiar roar, the raised finger to signal the big prize was his and the genial smile. He also took an uncharacteristic, ever-so-slight look back to confirm what his mind already knew; he admitted during a special media interaction that continued into the first morning light back home that he was cautious of the adductor strain that had kept him out of action earlier; he mentioned pressure in the context of the massively hyped contest with Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. He still doesn’t see himself as the greatest – Zelezny remains on that pedestal for him – and accepts his rivalry with Nadeem will be hyped -- “I know it will blow up even more at the Asian Games but I try to take it positively.” He pre-empts any questions on the 90m mark with his trademark laugh -- “it is there on my mind but now I’ve realised it is more important to win. Now I don’t think much about it because I know it will happen one day, hopefully soon.” He manages to find a reason to keep going -- “throwers don’t have a finish line” -- and besting himself..@Neeraj_chopra1 brings home a historic gold for India in the javelin throw 👏#WorldAthleticsChampspic.twitter.com/YfRbwBBh7Z — World Athletics August 27, 2023 Even in his hour of glory, he mentions the other two Indians in competition – DP Manu and Kishore Jena finished in the top-six, the latter getting a personal best in his first major international outing.