‘Javelin growing in India’: Neeraj Chopra on impact of winning Tokyo Olympics gold

Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra and track-and-field star Neeraj Chopra are definitely role models in a cricket-crazy country. 

After all, in 75 years of India’s independence and over 100 years of India’s history at the Olympics, Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra are the only ones to have won individual gold medals at the Summer Games.

In a meeting organised by the International Olympic Committee at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne on Saturday, the two Indian legends discussed the impact of their gold medals on the Indian sporting scene.

“I think we don’t need another decade to know what’s changed,” Neeraj Chopra said while highlighting the recent performances of Indian javelin throwers at junior and senior competitions, globally.

Prior to 2021, Neeraj Chopra was the only Indian javelin thrower to hurl the spear beyond 80 metres. Sahil Silwal (personal best 80.65m), Rohit Yadav (PB 81.83m), DP Manu (PB 82.43m) and Yashvir Singh (PB 82.13m), all under 23, have now joined the Tokyo Olympic champion in the last year and a half in this 80-metre-plus club.

“For the first time, there were four javelin throwers who crossed the 80m mark in around a year,” Neeraj Chopra remarked about India’s rise in the javelin throw competitions in India and outside.

“Two Indian male javelin throwers made the cut for the world championships final and Annu Rani won India’s first medal, a bronze, in the women’s javelin throw competition at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. So we are definitely seeing a change,” Neeraj Chopra pointed out.

Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics inspired several young Indians to take up sports. Chopra was also the most searched sports personality in India on Google last year.

For youngsters to emulate his success, Neeraj Chopra said that it is important to find a good coach or a guide early in their career. 

“Javelin throw is a very technical sport so the base upfront has to be solid. I have seen many kids get used to a wrong technique which becomes difficult to change later.”

As far as the mental aspect is concerned, Chopra said that while the Olympics are held every four years, an athlete has to train like it’s happening every year.

“We are not only affected by the on-field performances but can also have an off day in training which can make us feel demotivated. It is a backstory only athletes are aware of. So it becomes very important to keep the spirits high and look forward to the next day.”

After Neeraj Chopra won the Olympic gold on August 7, 2021, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) decided to celebrate the day every year as National Javelin Day. As many as 32 Indian states and Union Territories units affiliated with the national federation organised javelin competitions on August 7 this year. 

Shooter Abhinav Bindra, who won India’s first Olympic gold medal in 2008, said that the Olympic gold medals not only inspire the Indian sports eco-system to function better at the administrative level but also at the grassroots.

“The interest level in sports (after Chopra’s Olympic gold) is now immense. So many young kids are getting inspired,” said Bindra.

Abhinav Bindra said he witnessed the same level of enthusiasm across the country when he won the 10m air rifle event at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

“It was similar when I won the gold in 2008. When we used to have shooting nationals before 2008, around 200 aspirants used to show up. Today around 10,000 take part. So I feel it would be the same process in different disciplines of track and field.”

Indian shooters bagged two medals – Gagan Narang bronze and Vijay Kumar silver – at London 2012 but have not been able to win an Olympic medal since. However, Indian shooters have excelled in several shooting World Cups and world championship events, and have topped rankings as well.