Eugene (Oregon): Tokyo Olympics javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra, who clinched the historic silver medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, is elated from his performance and said that there is a hunger inside him to win gold in next edition of worlds competition.
With his best throw of 88.13m, Neeraj won silver and ended India’s 19-year-long wait for a medal at the World Athletics Championships. This was India’s second medal at the World Championships and the first podium finish since Anju Bobby George won a bronze medal in long jump at Paris in 2003.
“I am happy to have won silver, the country’s first medal in the World Athletics Championships after 19 years, I will take it. The World Championships is even tougher than the Olympics, its record is higher than that of Olympics,” said Neeraj after his World Championships heroics.
The 24-year-old Indian further said, one cannot get gold each time but he will focus and concentrate on training and improvement in order to win the yellow medal in next year’s World Championships.
“An athlete cannot win a gold every time but we have to keep trying and give our best. I have learned a lot from the challenging situation today, and I will work for improvement,” Chopra said.
“I have won gold at all levels except this World Championships silver. So, hunger is there to win gold. I will try to change the color of the metal (to gold) in the next World Championships in 2023 (in Budapest). The other competition I want to win gold in is the Diamond League,” he added.
When asked to whom he would dedicate the silver medal, the star athlete said, “Anju Bobby George madam won India’s first medal? Everybody who has played a part in my success and those who are praying for my success, I would like to dedicate to them.”
Neeraj also mentioned that he spoke to Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem who finished fifth with a best throw of 86.16m.
Neeraj ruled out of Commonwealth Games due to injury
New Delhi: The strong Indian contingent for the Commonwealth Games suffered a massive setback as ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, fresh from his silver medal-winning performance at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene (US), has been ruled from the quadrennial showpiece due to a groin injury.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary-general Rajiv Mehta confirmed Chopra’s injury in media reports.
“Neeraj Chopra had been advised to rest for a month by doctors after an MRI showed an injury in his groin. He had complained of pain in the groin region after his competition at the World Championships, following which he went for an MRI, which revealed a minor tear,” said Mehta.
“It is a huge loss for the Indian contingent as Chopra was the defending Commonwealth Games champion and would have won gold had he competed,” added Mehta.
