Neeraj Chopra is indeed India’s golden boy. The Haryanvi javelin thrower recently won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics, becoming the first-ever Indian athlete to win both a gold and a silver in any individual event at the Olympics. In a recent press briefing, Neeraj Chopra shared his experiences in Paris.
On InsideSport’s question, Neeraj shared his most memorable moment from the Paris Olympics. He said, “The athletics stadium in Paris was amazing! The crowd was incredible, and for the first time, I saw a stadium packed even during the qualification rounds in the morning sessions. It was an experience like no other. I had seen the Eiffel Tower before, so this time it wasn’t about sightseeing, but the atmosphere in the stadium was something I will never forget.”
Meeting with Sunil Chhetri
Neeraj Chopra also shared his experience of meeting the legendary football player Sunil Chhetri at the Paris Olympic Village. “Actually, I couldn’t talk much with Sunil bhai. It was great meeting him, and whenever I meet him, it feels special. I told him that I aspire to have a career as long as his, and I wanted to ask him how he maintains such consistency, whether it’s about diet or mentality. But there were many people around, and it was hard to have a proper conversation. Still, meeting him is always a pleasure,” said Neeraj.
Reached village in the morning
After winning the silver, Neeraj returned to the village in the morning. Sharing his experience, he said, “Well, whatever celebration there was, I reached the village around 5:00 am. After the competition ended, I was entirely with the media. I talked to them, then I had to go for a doping test. After that, I came back, gave some more interviews to the remaining media, and reached the village around four or five in the morning. The next day was quite busy too, but I felt that I could allow myself a little relaxation since the competition had just ended. But I knew I had to quickly finish all of it and get back to training for the next competition.”
Praise for the Indian athletes at the Paris Olympics
Neeraj Chopra praised the Indian athletes at the Paris Olympics, saying, “I’m proud of all the athletes who competed with the best in the world. Mentally, our athletes were strong, and I believe the future of Indian athletics is in good hands. Although we might have fallen short of medals, the performance was commendable. I’m confident that in the future, our fourth-place finishes will turn into medals, and silvers into golds.”
