In India, ‘we only talk about athletics if we win an Olympic medal’: Neeraj Chopra, world champion

For Neeraj Chopra, 2016 was a breakthrough year. The 19-year-old javelin thrower became only the second Indian to bag a medal in the athletics world championship after long-jumper Anju Bobby George, who won bronze in 2003. Chopra also went on to create history by becoming the first Indian athlete to become a world champion when he won a gold medal at the Under-20 World Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. He also created a new under-20 world record by throwing the javelin at a distance of 86.48 m to break the old mark of 84.69.

In an interview with Scroll.in, Chopra admitted shyly that he still wants to win accolades for the country and 2016 was just the start. “Life has changed but I don’t want to and haven’t changed. I feel very proud of getting India a world record. Now, when my name is announced, my country’s name will also be announced with the record, which I am very proud about,” he said.

Road to the top

Hailing from Khandra in Haryana, Chopra used to weigh 80 kg at one point. His journey from a fat kid who used to work in the farms to a world champion is nothing short of inspiring. “Yeah, the journey has been difficult. I used to cycle to school for nine kilometres. After that, I used to catch a bus for my training centre, which was 18 km away in Panipat,” he said. So, how did he fall in love with the javelin in a state where people love kabaddi and wrestling?

“I was always interested in sports. Especially in the villages, people never really thought beyond kabaddi or wrestling. Volleyball and kabaddi were my favourites. When I used to go for training in Panipat, I used to watch my seniors train and watching them I fell in love with the javelin. I was 14 when I shifted to Panipat and that is when I worked on my fitness and lost weight. I really liked it and never lost love for it.”

Talking about his family, he said, “We are a joint family and my father is the eldest among four bothers and we are farmers. Breaking the world record has made them proud. However, they still don’t have the knowledge about the sport and what I have achieved. He still thinks that it isn’t a big deal and they don’t know how I have won it. I have shown them the video of me breaking the world record and my mother said, ‘You should have thrown it more hard, should put in more effort.’”

Missing the bus for Rio

Chopra has won medals in the nationals as well and also bagged gold in the South Asian Games in 2015. However, he missed the cut for the Rio Olympics last year because his throw came days before the last date for qualifying. He could have bagged bronze at the Olympics if he had replicated his world-record throw, as Keshorn Walcott recorded 85.38 m to take third place. However, injury also halted Chopra’s progress. “Injuries were a problem last year but now I am fully fit and raring to go. Whatever happened has happened the time has gone and there is not point thinking about it. Only thing that hinders me [is] that if I would have gone to Rio I could have got a medal for my country,” said Chopra.

With Australian coach Garry Calvert at his side, Chopra feels he has taken his game a notch higher. “Calvert Sir is training us well. He has a lot of experience and in Australia he had good players training under him as well. I am getting to learn a lot. Training is a bit different under him as he works more on my fitness levels, speed and my explosive power. Right now, rigorous training sessions are on and he keeps telling me to focus on my breathing. Small changes in my workout have brought about a big change in my overall development,” he said.

Government support

The Indian government, too, is finally doing its bit for sports other than cricket, says Chopra. “Yeah, athletics is still not famous in India and it is a problem. It is very famous in Europe and other countries. Only if we bag a medal in the Olympics is when we talk about athletics. Now that I have made a world record, it has changed the perception. Things are changing and improving for the better now. Government is doing their bit as well. They have planned the 2020 Olympics scheme as well. They have told us to approach them if there is any problem and they will try and solve [it]. Things are improving in India and sports will grow in the future. Leagues have also helped in portraying India as a sporting country.”

From working in the fields to putting Indian athletics on the map, Chopra has changed the perception of most people when it comes to his sport, except his mother maybe.