It takes a lot to produce champions at the international level. Apart from the blood and sweat of the athlete, there’s a team of coaches, then there is foreign exposure trips, a strict diet that needs to be followed, and of course, injury management. All these combined, one can expect to win medals in any sport internationally, and eventually, maybe the Olympics as well.
At Paris Olympics 2024, as many as 117 Indian athletes have qualified, who would be looking to better the medals tally from Tokyo 2020. Of course, there are many contenders, but the ones in focus from the Indian perspective, have to be the likes of Neeraj Chopra, Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain, Mirabai Chanu, and the team of Satwik/Chirag.
Keeping the medal prospects aside for a moment, it is their work for the last three years, that really stands out. But one wonders, how much money was spent by the Indian government on their training, to make them reach this stage?
Money Spent on Neeraj Chopra’s Training
Neeraj Chopra usually trains abroad, be it in Europe, Africa or Asia, and when he is in India, he trains at NIS Patiala. Plus, he has a dedicated team of coaches, headed by German Dr. Klaus Bartonietz. As per a report in the Indian Express, a massive Rs 5.72 crore was spent on his overall training in the lead up to the Olympics 2024.
Can Neeraj Chopra Defend His Title at Paris Olympics?
The first answer that comes to mind is, yes. In the last two years, Neeraj has been uber consistent, having won the World Championships gold, Diamond League Final, and the Asian Games as well. He has a season’s best of 88.36m and lies fourth in the 2024 leaderboard. His main rivals would be Max Dehning of Germany with a season’s best of 90.20m, followed by Jakub Vadlejch at 88.65m, and Julian Weber at 88.37m. So, another gold is possible for sure at Olympics 2024.
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