PUNE: A group of young javelin throwers training at the Army Sports Institute (ASI) here was in for a treat when Olympic gold-medallist Neeraj Chopra paid them a visit.
Chopra, India’s only second individual gold-medallist, had much knowledge to impart to the eager youngsters, but none better than this pearl of wisdom: “Enjoy your game — this is most important. If you can’t, you won’t be able to give it your 100% in the competition. And treat success and defeat equally — this attitude will make your think positively.”
Among the awe-struck youngsters were Manu D P (21) — whose personal best is 78.14 metres — a silver-medallist at the Indian Grand Prix; and Vikas Yadav (20), gold-medallist at Khelo India in 2018.
During the interaction, Chopra was asked about going head-on with 2017 German world champion Johannes Vetter in Tokyo. The champ merely said, “Just focus on your game and try to give it your all.; don’t worry about competitors.”
Chopra, an Army subedar, had trained in his early years at ASI in 2016. He also met athletes of the Boys Sports Company at ASI.
“Neeraj has been in contact with them and shares his inputs regularly. The athletes are now motivated to do their best in upcoming competitions,” Kashinath Naik, Chopra’s former coach and current ASI coach, told TOI. Chopra paid a visit to Naik’s house.
Chopra, accompanied by other Tokyo Olympians like boxer Satish Kumar, steeplechaser Avinash Sable and archer Tarundeep Rai, also visited the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre (PRC) in Khadki. These retired soldiers are skilled at various sports like badminton, basketball, swimming, and athletics. A few of them are national champions as well.
Sureshkumar Karki, captain of India’s wheelchair basketball team, and a badminton player, said, “It was very motivating for all of us to meet the Olympic gold medallist. He appreciated our achievements and even said we were a source of inspiration to him.”
Anthony Parera, who won silver medal in the wheelchair javelin throw category at an Asia-Pacific para competition at Bangkok in 1999, said, “He spent nearly two hours with us.”
Chopra also visited the Army Public School at Ghorpadi and interacted with a group of students. “Chopra arrived in Pune on Monday morning to a rousing reception. He was supposed to attend the naming ceremony of the athletics stadium, which is to be named after him, at ASI. However, the event got postponed as the chief guest, defence minister Rajnath Singh, could not make it,” a senior Army officer said.
