NEW DELHI: Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic gold medallist, possesses a unique ability to remain focused on the present and maintain an exceptional level of consistency in his javelin throws, according to Adille Sumariwalla, the Athletics Federation of India chief. These qualities distinguish him from other top javelin throwers worldwide.
Despite recent speculation about Neeraj being hampered by an adductor niggle as he prepares to defend his gold medal at the upcoming Paris Olympics, Sumariwalla remains confident in the champion athlete's condition. He has been in regular communication with Neeraj's coach, who has assured him that the javelin star is in optimal shape for the competition.
"Neeraj is the person who lives in the moment. Other people think about the past, future but Neeraj lives in the present. That is why he is so successful. He knows 'I have to do this much'. Whenever you ask him to throw, he will always do 88-89 metres; that is his consistency. His consistency has got him all the victories," said PTI quoted Sumariwalla as saying on the sidelines of a promotional event on Thursday.
Neeraj's gold-winning throw at the Tokyo Olympics measured 87.58m, although his personal best in international competition stands at 89.94m, which he achieved during the 2022 Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden.
Despite not having crossed the 90m threshold, Sumariwalla dismisses the notion that athletes consistently throwing over 90m in the lead-up to the Olympics are guaranteed to secure medals in the high-pressure environment of the Games.
"Last Olympics, three people had 90m-plus throws, Neeraj won in 88m (87.58), Before the World Championships (2023 Budapest), there were three people who threw 90-plus, Neeraj won in 89 (88.17m).
"Before the Asian Games in Hangzhou, there was one guy who was throwing over 90, Neeraj won gold. So, on that day what happens can be very different. There are people who have crossed 90m and Neeraj has never crossed 90m, but he won every time," Sumariwalla said.
On Neeraj's fitness as the champion eyes a second consecutive gold in Paris, Sumariwalla said, "I speak to his coach every three days and he claims that he is fit, so I have to go by what his coach and his physio are saying. The coach says he is fit and ready to go."
The head of the AFI sidestepped inquiries regarding shot-putter Abha Khatua, whose name was absent from the list of India's athletes heading to Paris. The reasons behind her exclusion remain unclear, with no definitive explanation provided.
Khatua departed for Spala, Turkiye, on July 11, accompanying her fellow team members. Spala serves as the training base for India's track and field athletes preparing for the Olympic Games.
However, just a day later, when World Athletics released the official list of Olympic participants in track and field events, Khatua's name was conspicuously missing.
As of now, there has been no official statement clarifying whether Khatua's omission is due to an injury, a violation of doping regulations, or any other technical matter. The silence surrounding her absence has left many questions unanswered.
"There is no issue with regard to Abha Khatua and I will not speak on the matter," said Sumariwalla, while adding that 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable could well be a medal contender in Paris.
"Sable has run under 8 minutes, 10 seconds. There has been a world championship won in 8:20. Now, what do I say about timing. Last World Championship in Oregon (2022), the winning time was 8:20, the slowest in history. So, Avinash can also win, it is very difficult to predict," he added.
The AFI chief suggested that domestic coaches were not supportive of the idea of bringing in international experts to enhance the performance of Indian athletes.
"When we started bringing in foreign coaches some 10 years ago... in jumps we brought in three foreign coaches. Our coaches tried to get rid of them, so that we (national coaches) will get exposed. This politics is also there (in Indian athletics). The current coach, he is also crying... he is himself an Olympic medallist. He is not being allowed to train. How much will you fight (the system)," said Sumariwalla without naming anyone.
