An Indian urging the world to come and watch the Diamond League. Encouraging friends and family to be in Qatar on 5 May, to cheer for the world’s best javelin throwers. It still seems a tad surreal, to be honest. And maybe, that’s why I watched Neeraj Chopra’s video posted from the official Diamond League Twitter handle a few more times. Each occasion was a matter of pride. A kind of yes-we-can moment.
For years on end, Indian athletes have gone to the Diamond League and have left within minutes after failing to make the final. Such has been the pattern, leaving behind questions of why a nation of a billion-plus can never win an athletics medal in major international competitions.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj too came to the stadium and left early. Only this time, he had a monstrous 86.54m throw to his name, topping the qualification charts. He was the first to make the final of the men’s Javelin. As Neeraj left the stadium, there was a swagger in his walk that none could have missed. He was there on business – that of winning an Olympic medal.
And on the day of the final, he looked all composed. He was even wishing some of his competitors and looked very much in the zone. Seeing him from up close was an experience. And the moment he completed the first throw, the build-up had begun. The board said 87.03m, and we could start to dream. We had come close many a time in Tokyo, so it wasn’t prudent to jump the gun. Especially with Johannes Vetter in the fray. The German had seven throws over 90m under his belt in 2021, and all we could do was pray.
At the end of the first set of throws from the 12 finalists, the scoreboard flashed IND at the top of the leaderboard. It was a first for us, and the nervous energy was palpable. Neeraj was out there competing, and we were all competing with him from the stands. That’s when it came. The moment he threw the javelin a second time, we could see something extraordinary happening. It kept traveling, fast and destined, and for a nano-second it seemed he had broken the Olympic record. When it landed just short of the 90m mark, we were convinced he had bettered his own national record. He was close. The scoreboard said 87.58m. With the others in and around the 85m mark, we couldn’t care much for the record. Frankly, I wasn’t willing to move an inch from where I was till Neeraj had completed his sixth throw.
He has since gotten better and better. He has gone on to add a world championship silver and has won the Diamond League Final gold in Zurich in 2022. And now, he starts again. A new season with a new focus. Yes, he is obsessed with the 90m mark and like he had said at the Revsportz Trailblazers conclave, “‘Is saal yeh 90m wala saval khatam kar denge. Maine bahut baar yeh saval suna hai aur mujhe lagta hai ki kuch samay mein yeh saval khatam ho jayga [This year, I’ll end the 90m question. I’ve heard this question many times, and I feel it will end soon].
“Main koi bhi competition mein Olympic Champion ban ke nahi khelta hoon [I don’t participate in any competition as the Olympic champion]. I always play as Neeraj, just another athlete. All I do is give my 100 percent and prepare the best I can. Pressure to hai. Rahega bhi [Pressure is there, and will be there]. But what is important is the sport is now attracting attention in India. People are following every single competition. They are getting to know more about Javelin and as a result, more and more people will now play the sport.”
Look at the traction in his tweet, and you will know he is right. He is the new superstar. Someone who has stayed rooted despite all the riches thrown at him, and has trained with singular focus. And now it’s time for him to step up again. Yes, he hasn’t thrown 90m yet. And maybe that’s why he said what he said. It is time to finish the 90m debate once and for all. He knows he isn’t there yet despite winning all that there is to win. He still wants a World Championship gold and maybe another in Paris 2024. And with Neeraj, one thing is certain. There will never be any dearth of effort.
Be it dealing with the global media or getting ready for competition, he will always prepare the best to give himself the optimum chance. India finally has an elite athlete who is well and truly a role model. Success hasn’t changed him, and that perhaps is the most important reason for his success. The fact that his javelin has encouraged many more to take up the sport and that we have started to believe that we can win in athletics events on the global stage is the real legacy of Neeraj Chopra. And knowing him, he will want to add to that legacy come Friday. The more he does, the better it is for India.