Neeraj Chopra can spur on a generation,' says two-time Olympic Champion Ashton Eaton

Recent Asian Games medallists Annu Rani, HS Prannoy, Saurav Ghosal, Aishwary Pratap Singh and Kartik Kumar also shared their thoughts.

The 18th edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon celebrated several Asian Games champions at the “Beyond the Finish Line” event in New Delhi on Friday. Among the Asian Games Medallists present at the event were Neeraj Chopra, HS Prannoy, Priti Lamba, Annu Rani, Kartik Kumar, Saurav Ghosal, and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar. This special gathering took place in the presence of Dronacharya Awardee Suma Shirur.

The "Beyond the Finish Line" is a collaborative initiative by Procam International, along with the Empowerment Partner GoSports Foundation. The event was gracefully hosted by sports historian and commentator Boria Majumdar and received support from Title Sponsor Vedanta, Associate Sponsor IDFC FIRST Bank, Official Cooldown Companion Bira Light, and Hospitality Partner Le Meridien.

HS Prannoy, reflecting on his journey, shared, “Until 2018, things were going well. After that, things started to go off course, injuries and health issues derailed my progress. But that’s where support from a lot of people helped me, made me believe that it is not over, and understand that sport is like this.

"There will be tough patches. Post the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to reboot and start afresh. All the work I had put in over the years was paying off, and the experience has taught me to manage my body.”

Asian Games Gold Medallist Annu Rani, renowned for her prowess in long-distance running, Kartik Kumar, and the esteemed veteran Saurav Ghosal spoke about their determination and discipline that propelled them to break through barriers.

Annu Rani shared her experiences, saying, “I fought with my federation to allow me to go and train overseas. However, I didn’t start the stint well, losing a series of competitions. But I was focused on winning the Asian Games; it was do or die for me, and eventually, I was able to rise to the occasion in Hangzhou and win against an Olympic and former World Champion. It was all down to the hard work and hours that had gone in before.”

Ashton Eaton, a two-time Olympic champion who is the only athlete to have crossed the 9000-point mark twice in a decathlon, highlighted the impact of athletes like Neeraj Chopra, saying, "It was Michael Johnson, who spurred on a generation with his golden spikes and wonderful performances, and Neeraj Chopra can definitely do that with Indian athletics, and sometimes that's just what you need.

"Sport is about celebrating human potential and expressing what we are capable of. And we always want to get better; it's about human potential and discovering the potential and sharing it with the world too and Neeraj Chopra certainly has it.”

Meanwhile, Asian Games Bronze Medallist Priti Lamba expressed the importance of her win, stating, “It was very important for me to win a Medal at the Asian Games and also appreciated Neeraj Chopra. If I didn't make it, then it would've been the end of the road for me. I promised myself that I would give it my all, and then leave it to God. My father was in tears after I won the Medal and he told me that I have added 10 years to his life.”