"The feeling of playing at the highest level is back" — Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj Chopra, India’s Tokyo Olympics-bound star javelin thrower, showing no signs of rust, won the gold medal with a throw of 83.18m in the City of Lisbon athletics meet in Portugal. Despite a gap of over a year, he continued to prove his mettle at the top level.

After recording scores of 80.71m, two fouls, 78.50m, followed by another foul, Neeraj Chopra saved the best for his last throw, sending the spear past the 83-metre mark in his sixth attempt to emerge victorious.

He was the best by a mile, going by the fact that the second-placed Francisco Fernandes of Portugal could only muster 57.25m.

Read: Can Neeraj Chopra win an elusive Athletics medal for India at the Tokyo Olympics?

In May 2019, Neeraj had to undergo elbow surgery and missed a slew of tournaments, including the IAAF World Championships, the Diamond League and the Asian Championships.

Post-recovery, Neeraj Chopra participated in a competition in Potchefstroom, South Africa, in January 2020. He threw 87.86m and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2021, bettering the cut-off mark by more than two meters.

Neeraj Chopra, who won gold for India at the 2018 Asian Games and 2018 Commonwealth Games, is a Junior Commissioner in the Indian Army.

Neeraj Chopra preparing well for Tokyo Olympics

In an interview, Neeraj Chopra said he has been doing all that it takes to do well at the quadrennial Games, detailing the Lisbon tournament and more.

1) What were your expectations at the competition in Lisbon? How was your overall experience competing internationally after January 2020?

I am competing after close to 18 months and I wanted to take it slow. My coach and I decided to treat this as a training event. Before every tournament, I know the start list and I know the playing field. I am off to the Karlstad GP next and I have to give my best there. I had little time to train for this competition. Karlstad has a tough field and I hope to give my best there.

2) What is your schedule going to be for the next two months and where else do you plan to compete?

I will be here for close to two weeks, at least till June 19 or June 20. I have the Karlstad GP next and the Kuortane Games in the end of June. So, I will be off to Sweden next and then to Finland before going back to Sweden. We will be training in Uppsala in Sweden for the Tokyo Olympics 2021.

3) Are you keeping an eye on your potential competitors in Europe? How are you preparing yourself for the Olympics?

I am keeping an eye on how everyone is performing. I am keeping myself updated with the results of all my competitors. I am training as per what is required to be successful in Tokyo. I am happy with the way I am training and am bullish about a good result at the Olympics.

Summer days can feel long and really get to you when you’re training. That’s why I trust the next generation Amstrad ACs to keep my mind and home cool.#amstrad #allseasonac #getrealgetamstrad @Amstrad_India pic.twitter.com/rnzKAolCCx

— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) March 27, 2021

4) After being stuck in India and all the difficulties with the travel and visa, how do you think this stint in Europe is going to help with your preparations ahead of Tokyo?

I am happy that I am finally here and I get to play against who would be my competitors in the Olympics. It has been a while since I have played in international tournaments and the feeling of competing at the highest level is back.

5) Did you know that there were hundreds of Indians on the Lisbon live stream? How does it feel to have so many people following Neeraj Chopra?

It was nice. I even came to know that there were a lot of comments from Indians. It feels good as people normally do not follow athletics much. This following and backing will pump me up to do better and I hope my performances can make people follow athletics and javelin more. I also hope to inspire the younger generation to take up athletics.