Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra on Thursday highlighted that his biggest challenge in the lead-up to the upcoming international javelin event bearing his name has been simultaneously managing the organizational responsibilities and his personal training. The inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, featuring a top-tier field, is scheduled for Saturday at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Chopra himself is participating, coming off recent victories at highly competitive events in Paris (June 20) and Ostrava, Czech Republic (June 24).
During a felicitation function organized by the Karnataka Olympic Association, Chopra stated, “The toughest part is the training. We get very little time to train. I competed in Paris and Ostrava and then travelled to Bengaluru, so I will try my level best. We also have to arrange everything together.” He added that they’ve also been in discussions with other athletes to enhance the event. Despite the workload, he expressed optimism, saying, “But everything is going well. We will handle this and also compete. But the biggest goal is to make it (the event) bigger.”
The 27-year-old reigning world champion, who also met with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday, believes Bengaluru is an ideal location for such a major event. He expressed satisfaction with the preparations, noting, “I am feeling very good. The way the preparations are going, I am very happy.” He extended his gratitude to the sports department, Karnataka Olympic Association, and the Karnataka government for their swift assistance. Chopra explained that the city’s favorable weather was a significant factor in choosing Bengaluru.
Chopra conveyed his hope that the competition will benefit Indian athletes by providing them an opportunity to compete alongside prominent international names, thereby elevating their performance. He also revealed intentions to expand the event in the future to include more disciplines, allowing more Indian athletes to compete on home soil against global talent.
The event’s 12-man field will comprise seven international athletes and five Indians, including Chopra. The foreign contingent features notable names such as Germany’s 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Rohler (PB: 93.90m), Kenya’s 2015 world champion Julius Yego (PB: 92.72m), American Curtis Thompson (PB: 87.76m), Czech Martin Konecny (80.59m), Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio Da Silva (PB: 86.62m), Sri Lankan Rumesh Pathirage (PB: 85.45m), and Poland’s Cyprian Mrzyglod (PB: 85.92m).
Chopra and several other participants engaged in light training at the Kanteerava Stadium on Thursday, with Konecny, Thompson, and Rohler among the early arrivals. Chopra’s coach and world record holder, Jan Zelezny, has also arrived in Bengaluru.
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