Neeraj Chopra breached the long-awaited 90m mark in Doha at the Diamond League. For years, fans had dreamed of this elusive throw, and when Neeraj finally crossed it, it was a moment of celebration for the entire nation. In this conversation, World Athletics Vice President Adille Sumariwalla looked back on Neeraj’s incredible journey, his impact on Indian sport, and how he became a catalyst for Murali Sreeshankar’s comeback.
Neeraj breaching the 90-metre mark has been a long-awaited milestone for many of us. From a global athletics perspective, how does this performance change the perception of Indian athletes? And of course, speak about Neeraj too. You’ve seen him closely over the years.
“Today especially, is a day when we are really, really happy with what has happened. Opening event, 90 metres, unheard of. I think it was a fantastic performance. And this just goes to show that if you are at it, if you consistently pursue it in the right way and go after excellence, it will come. It takes its own time, but when it comes, then it stays. These are not one-off performances that just come and go. He is the most consistent thrower in the world.
So, his range is very tight. Whenever he throws, it’s within that consistent bracket. There are people who throw 90 metres and then 70 metres, and never touch 90 again. But this is a guy who will throw 88, 89, 88, 89, 88, 89, now he’s crossed the threshold. I think this is great, not only for Indian sport. It answers those who were wondering whether he would ever throw 90 metres.
People have doubted his abilities, wrongly, because we know what he is and who he is. He’s a great athlete, a great competitor, but even more, he’s a great human being. He’s always ready to help his fellow athletes. He’s one of the most liked athletes in the world. Even with World Athletics, they love him. Wherever he goes, there’s so much positive energy he radiates. He’s humble, he’s down to earth.
He talks to young kids in a language they understand, no high-flying advice. I think he is probably the best thing to have happened to Indian sport.”
Since you mentioned Neeraj speaks to young athletes, he also had a conversation with Murali Sreeshankar and said that for athletes, it’s never about a World Cup or a medal or a trophy. It’s about the distance. That’s why the dream is never fulfilled, you’re always chasing the next target. How important is that mindset?
“I think every athlete needs to focus not on winning or losing, but on challenging themselves, every day, every training session, every competition. And it’s about the journey. If the journey is good, your training is good, your focus is right, you’ve done all the right things, then your performance will come.
I remember talking to Sreeshankar a couple of times, and Neeraj really pushed him, he told him, ‘You can come back. You can do this. You’re as good as anyone. If I can win, so can you.’ He’s jumped 8.41. That’s something remarkable.
It’s not like ‘I’m superior because I have two Olympic medals, two World Championship medals, and I’m an Olympic, World, Asian, Commonwealth, and Asian Games champion.’ I don’t think anyone in Indian sport has achieved what he has. Yet he remains grounded. He’s a proud soldier. He’s a proud Indian. He has all the qualities you need.
And that’s why I was always confident that he would go far. I remember 2011, when he won the National Inter-District Championships in Ranchi. In 2012, he set a record in Haridwar. In 2015, he participated in the senior championships and came fifth, that’s when he was picked for the national camp.
We brought in Garry Calvert as the javelin coach. In 2016, he became the junior world champion. That’s his journey. You have to see where he came from and how he progressed. The Athletics Federation has, over the years, provided him with Garry Calvert, Uwe Hohn, Dr Klaus, and now Zelezny.
And he’s not one to walk away. Many athletes get foreign coaches, then some Indian coach misguides them. But Neeraj stuck it out. He worked with every coach for a time, did what needed to be done, and when the time came, he had mature conversations. For instance, with Dr Klaus, he said, ‘I’ve done what I had to with you, and I can’t continue to travel like this.’ Then we sat together and found Zelezny. AFI wanted him too, and funnily enough, both sides had the same name in mind.
That’s his mental set-up. When the experience of the Athletics Federation and his thought process align, that’s when you get performances.”
How significant is this moment for the next generation of Indian throwers who are watching Neeraj redefine what’s possible?
“In 2016, he was the first Indian to cross the 80-metre mark. Today, 14 Indians have done it. Now, he’s crossed 90. Let’s see how he inspires others to reach that too.
These are just facts and stats, but they show his impact on the entire ecosystem. Now, all our athletes, Murali, Gulveer, believe that they can do it. He trains, eats, stays with them. So they think, if he can do it, we can too.
Earlier, the thought was, he’s different, he gets different facilities, different food. But he’s wiped that slate clean. He’s shown it’s possible. And he keeps encouraging them. The impact is huge.
To amplify that, the Athletics Federation designated 7th August as National Javelin Day. Across all states and districts, javelin competitions are held. At last year’s NIDJAM, for just the under-16 javelin competition, there were 3,000 competitors. That’s the Neeraj effect. A leader in every sense.”
How much are you looking forward to a Murali Sreeshankar comeback?
“I think he will come back. He’s a good kid, a talented kid. It’s sad about the injury, a freak accident. His rehab is going well. Last time I spoke to him, he wanted to return around March-April. But he shouldn’t rush it.
He’s extremely talented. The only concern is he’s still young and needs to build more strength into his frame, it’s a bit fragile. But if he can jump 8.41 with this frame, imagine what he can do once he builds power. I’m sure he can be another Neeraj.”