Neeraj Chopra secures gold at home
Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra Clinches Gold in Bhubaneshwar
)
Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic champion in javelin, secured gold in his first competition at home in three years at the 27th Federation Cup senior national competition in Bhubaneshwar on Wednesday, May 15. Despite receiving a warm welcome in Odisha, Neeraj expressed dissatisfaction with his performance in front of the home crowd.
Chopra’s gold-winning throw measured 82.27m, notably below his personal best of 89.94m. He faced stiff competition from DP Manu, who claimed silver with a throw of 82.06m. However, Chopra’s resolve shone through as he managed to edge past Manu with his fourth attempt.
Reflecting on his performance, Chopra remarked, “I felt that I could compete here, and it was nice. However, let’s not talk about the throw, it was not up to it. This one is not one of my consistent performances.”
Chopra’s decision to halt after four throws raised eyebrows, but he explained that the quick turnaround after the Doha Diamond League and the upcoming competitions factored into his decision. He finished second in the Doha Diamond League with a throw of 88.36m on May 10.
“I came here after playing in Doha and there was not much recovery time and there was travel also, and I was not feeling that good,” said Chopra. “I gave my effort accordingly and did only four throws by passing on the last two throws as I have to compete in Ostrava.”
Chopra emphasized that winning gold medals always holds greater significance for him than achieving bigger throws. Despite his performance, Chopra was hailed as the star of the night at the Kalinga Stadium, where fans rooted for their hero. Fellow throwers gathered around Chopra at the end of the competition, displaying their respect for one of India’s finest athletes.
Chopra is now set to compete in the Golden Spike event in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on May 28, followed by the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, on June 18, and the Paris Diamond League in early July.
