Neeraj Chopra confirms Lausanne Diamond League participation, plans doctor visit post-season

Lausanne Diamond League will start on 22nd August.

Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra recently shared his experiences from the Paris Olympics, where he won a silver medal. Speaking at a media event organized by JSW Sports, Chopra revealed he’s currently training in Switzerland and plans to compete in the Diamond League before ending his season. The Olympic medalist mentioned a minor injury that didn’t significantly affect his performance in Paris, but he’ll seek medical attention once the season concludes.

Chopra was particularly impressed by the athletics stadium in Paris and the unexpectedly large crowds during morning sessions. He took the opportunity to advise young athletes, encouraging them to work hard and give their best. After his silver medal win, Chopra described a busy schedule of media interactions and doping tests, finally returning to the Olympic Village in the early hours of the morning.

Chopra’s consistent performance is noteworthy, having finished in the top two in all 17 competitions he’s entered over the past three years. His achievement places him among only five javelin throwers in history to win multiple medals at both the Olympics and World Championships, cementing his status as one of India’s finest athletes.

Q) What are your views on your performance at the Paris Olympics?

Neeraj: I feel I could have covered more distance in the Olympics. The distance I threw at the Olympics was my second and third-best throw. I want to increase my distance, and for that, I need to stay injury-free. I also feel that I have to give my best.

However, because of the injury, my body sometimes stops me from doing so. I wasn’t able to fully focus on my throwing sessions, and that also affected my technique. The groin injury will take time to heal, but once it’s healed, I will focus more on my throwing sessions, which I feel is my only weakness.

Q) You won gold at the Tokyo Olympics and now you’ve won silver at the Paris Olympics. How do you see this?

Neeraj: There’s no comparison between medals—”Gold is gold.” Winning back-to-back medals is a good achievement, and carrying the Indian flag on the global stage feels great. But yes, a gold medal is the ultimate thing. It’s an indescribable feeling when you hear our national anthem at a global event.

Q) When Arshad Nadeem threw 92.97 meters, what was going through your mind?

Neeraj: I felt it wasn’t impossible for me either—I could do it too. In javelin, improving 3 to 4 meters is not impossible. I just couldn’t push myself physically. Mentally, I was prepared, but physically, I wasn’t. My footwork on the runway wasn’t good. I was trying my level best, but it just wasn’t happening.

My throw of 89.45 meters came after Arshad’s, and I felt positive at that moment. Afterward, though, the physical barrier returned. I tried pushing through mentally, but my legwork wasn’t right.

Q) What was your first workout session like after winning the silver medal at the Paris Olympics 2024?

Neeraj: When I returned to Switzerland from Paris, I resumed my training. While in Paris, I had many interviews and media obligations.

Q) How many Diamond Leagues will you be participating in before the end of the season?

Neeraj: I was considering competing in the Zurich Diamond League and then the Diamond League final. Fortunately, after Paris, my injury didn’t worsen, as it usually does after competitions. I received treatment in Paris, which helped a lot.

I’d also like to thank Ishaan, who has been helping me with my injury since 2017. He worked hard with me, even before the Paris Olympics. While I wasn’t able to do much throwing, Ishaan helped me with other exercises and strengthening. Now, I have decided to participate in the Lausanne Diamond League, which starts on August 22, 2024.

Trending Indian Sports articles

• Vinesh Phogat’s appeal for shared silver medal dismissed by CAS
• Diamond League, World C’ships and other major events to follow post Paris Olympics 2024
• Top five controversies that shocked Paris Olympics 2024
• Which athlete won most medals at Paris Olympics 2024?
• Paris Olympics 2024: Updated final medal tally
• Meet Aman Sehrawat: Chhatrasal’s orphan, now an Olympic medallist
• Five medal contenders from India who disappointed at Paris Olympics 2024
• Top 10 most followed sports in India in 2024

Q) When are you planning to return to India?

Neeraj: I’ll return to India in about a month, after the Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium. After that, my season will be over, and I’ll go home to see my family and doctors.

Q) What is the importance of a mother’s role in the life of an Olympian or any athlete?

Neeraj: The primary motivation comes from family. They support you and keep you motivated. No matter what happens, for them, you remain the same whether you win or lose. I don’t meet my mom often, but I talk to her a lot. She always tells me not to lift too much weight because she worries it might lead to injury. I tell her that if I lift less, others will lift more and throw the javelin farther than me.

Q) Can you tell us about your coach, Klaus Bartonietz? What was the conversation after you won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics? What is the bond between you two?

Neeraj: I feel very lucky to have such a wonderful team supporting me. I’ve been working with my coach since 2019 when I returned from injury, and Ishaan has been with me since 2017. We have a strong bond. After the Paris Olympics, my issue was that I wasn’t throwing enough, and my coach couldn’t do much until I started throwing more.

The only problem was that, when I took the cross-step with the javelin and ran diagonally, all the pressure went into my groin, which hindered my performance. My arm speed was great, but my line wasn’t. That’s something we need to work on.

Q) Should you have undergone surgery before the Paris Olympics?

Neeraj: When I was in Doha, the doctors recommended surgery just before the World Championships. But I felt that I had one more goal left—the World Championships gold—so I decided to go with the flow and avoid surgery.

It was a good decision, as surgery would have set me back an entire year, and I don’t know how much time I would have had to prepare for the Paris Olympics. So, I was cautious and didn’t push too hard. Ultimately, it was a good decision, and I handled it well.

Q) How would you rate India’s performance at the Paris Olympics?

Neeraj: Our performance was good. I’m happy to see our athletes competing with the world’s best. The key is mental strength. Junior athletes like Lakshya Sen and Nishant Dev were confident and not nervous at the Olympics, which I found impressive.

I believe we have a bright future in the Olympics. If we look at the medals, we got one less than last time. If the incident with Vinesh hadn’t happened, we could have equaled the medal tally. I felt bad for her. We also had several fourth-place finishes this time. Overall, though, the performance was solid.

Q) Can you talk about the support you received from JSW, the federation, and the TOPS scheme?

Neeraj: Support is crucial for any athlete. When I started my journey, I used to travel from my village to play. After that, I went to Panchkula for training, and my performance began to improve. Then I joined the national camp in Patiala, thanks to the federation’s support.

In 2015, JSW started supporting me, and that helped me perform well in the Junior World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Championships. After that, I was included in the TOPS scheme. As my performance improved, the support increased as well.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram