Silver, a testament to Neeraj’s grit, skill and determination

First Indian man to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships. Only the second Indian to do so and the first to get a silver. Owner of every major medal at stake — Olympics, Worlds, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games — and yet, on Sunday, Neeraj Chopra was not as excited as one would expect him to be.

The Olympic champion and silver medalist at the 2022 World Championships was more relieved than elated at the post-event interaction.

The competition had not followed his regular plan of starting at the top and staying there. He did not manage to better himself, the conditions were unfamiliar and less than ideal. A strain after his fourth throw made matters worse.

That the 24-year-old still managed to better a tough field was a testament to his grit, ability and the determination to fight back for what he felt he deserved. It also took a phenomenal performance from a world-class athlete in the form of his life — Grenada’s Anderson Peters, who managed three 90m plus throws with the biggest one of 90.54m coming on his last attempt — to push Neeraj to second.

Staying focused

“Of course, it is an advantage if your first throws are good, it gives you extra confidence and leverage. But, even if that doesn’t happen, we have to stay focused till the very end. I always say you should not relax in the middle because anyone can come up with a good throw at any point. It was a bit challenging when the first few throws didn’t go great. But, I managed to get it right at the crucial time,” Neeraj said.

Raising your game to go from fifth to second as the competition progresses isn’t easy at the top level. For Neeraj, the challenge was double-fold — out of the medal bracket at the half-way stage and constant high winds blowing against the throw. It was as much a learning curve as the realisation that there was a long way to go still, even for arguably India’s biggest track & field athlete ever.

“The opposing winds made it difficult but the conditions also meant the body did not warm up enough till after the third throw. I was putting in full effort and it was a matter of one big throw, but that took time coming.

“There was pressure. But not th ‘I am an Olympic champion, now I have to be World Champion’ kind. It was a very different kind of pressure. Of doing my best, and that wasn’t happening initially. It was challenging but I had the belief. I learnt a lot today and that will only help me,” he said.

Bad start

Neeraj started with a foul, then managed a feeble-by-his-standards 82.39m before a decent 86.37m. The fourth of 88.13m was the one that counted and his roar after the throw, the smile at the camera (for the first time on the day) and his attempts to calm himself indicated he knew it too. A slight strain in his right thigh was the only concern after the event.

“Once something like that sticks in your mind, even if it is not serious, it shows. I tried my best and taped it properly but I couldn’t put 100 percent power after that. Will know the details only tomorrow but hopefully everything should be good by the next competition,” he said.

His history with injuries would have made him all the more cautious.

Yet, the man remains unsatisfied. Asked about how it felt to have won medals at all major competitions, Neeraj replied: “ but ye gold to nahi hai na (but this is not gold). There is the hunger to change the colour of the medal and we have the Worlds again next year in Hungary so that will be the target to go one better. It is important to have that hunger.

“Also, it is good to expect gold every time but not necessary that will happen. Even no medal is possible, but that’s sports for you. Our job is to keep training and push ourselves and that I can assure you I will not stop,” he promised.

Golden words from the golden man.