Hope we end this 90m talk once and for all: Neeraj Chopra | More sports News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra held his first press conference of the New Year with Indian journalists on Saturday afternoon and found himself peppered with familiar queries about his impending 90m-mark, rivalries with Johannes Vetter, Anderson Peters and Thomas Rohler and targets leading up to the 2024 Paris Games.
Neeraj wasn’t flustered and politely answered each and every question – even repetitive at times – demonstrating a calm demeanour and clarity of thought. However, one question the Eugene World Championships silver medallist himself felt should have been nipped in the bud last year was his relentless pursuit to hurl the javelin past the 90m mark.
“I hope we end this conversation about achieving the 90m-mark this year,” Neeraj said on a lighter note. “It’s a magical mark and gives the bragging rights to the world’s top javelin throwers — ‘oh look, we have done the 90m’. It’s an important benchmark for them. I know I am very close to achieving it. Hopefully, it will soon happen this year,” the Zurich Diamond League Final gold medallist said from his training base at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.
Neeraj landed in the UK in the third week of November and will be training there for 63 days. He is accompanied by his coach and biomechanics expert, Dr Klaus Bartonietz, and physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha. “I had visited this place ahead of the Zurich Diamond League in August and found its high-performance centre world-class for athletes. The gymnastic hall, gymnasium and the throwing area built indoors are great. I am focusing more on the strength part, building core muscles, getting my body in shape and other technical aspects.
“Once I start the javelin training outdoors, my team will move to South Africa (Potchefstroom) because the warm weather will suit us. When our competition season starts, we will shift our base to Europe,” he informed.
Neeraj said he will start his 2023 athletics season late, possibly around May-June, so as to keep himself fresh for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, scheduled from September 23 to October 8. Prior to that, he will compete at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August and Diamond League series.
Neeraj also spoke about the praise received from sprint legend Michael Johnson, who recently said in a twitter post that the Indian is a javelin thrower with the movement of a sprinter.
“I am humbled by the praise. When I get to meet him, I’ll show him my sprint skills as well.”
Neeraj wasn’t flustered and politely answered each and every question – even repetitive at times – demonstrating a calm demeanour and clarity of thought. However, one question the Eugene World Championships silver medallist himself felt should have been nipped in the bud last year was his relentless pursuit to hurl the javelin past the 90m mark.
“I hope we end this conversation about achieving the 90m-mark this year,” Neeraj said on a lighter note. “It’s a magical mark and gives the bragging rights to the world’s top javelin throwers — ‘oh look, we have done the 90m’. It’s an important benchmark for them. I know I am very close to achieving it. Hopefully, it will soon happen this year,” the Zurich Diamond League Final gold medallist said from his training base at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.
Neeraj landed in the UK in the third week of November and will be training there for 63 days. He is accompanied by his coach and biomechanics expert, Dr Klaus Bartonietz, and physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha. “I had visited this place ahead of the Zurich Diamond League in August and found its high-performance centre world-class for athletes. The gymnastic hall, gymnasium and the throwing area built indoors are great. I am focusing more on the strength part, building core muscles, getting my body in shape and other technical aspects.
“Once I start the javelin training outdoors, my team will move to South Africa (Potchefstroom) because the warm weather will suit us. When our competition season starts, we will shift our base to Europe,” he informed.
Neeraj said he will start his 2023 athletics season late, possibly around May-June, so as to keep himself fresh for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, scheduled from September 23 to October 8. Prior to that, he will compete at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August and Diamond League series.
Neeraj also spoke about the praise received from sprint legend Michael Johnson, who recently said in a twitter post that the Indian is a javelin thrower with the movement of a sprinter.
“I am humbled by the praise. When I get to meet him, I’ll show him my sprint skills as well.”
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