Following his impressive throw of 89.94m on August 6, which secured his automatic qualification, the defending Olympic champion discussed his performance.
Neeraj Chopra brought smiles to millions of faces in India once again as he stepped onto the track at the Paris Olympics 2024, delivering a spectacular performance in the javelin throw qualification event. With an impressive throw of 89.94m on August 6, he secured an automatic qualification for the final. The defending Olympic champion spoke about his performance afterward.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. This is just the first step in Paris. The main event is still ahead, and I’ll give my best in the final,” Neeraj said in an interview with Jio Cinema. “I’ve been dealing with a groin issue, which is why I skipped some tournaments to focus on the Olympics.”
Neeraj acknowledged the pressure but emphasized the importance of his performance. “The spotlight was on me, but the real job is on the track, which is the biggest spotlight you can get,” he added. He anticipates an exciting final, expecting better performances compared to Tokyo, and noted the different conditions in Europe with cooler and less humid weather. He also mentioned the fuller stadiums in Paris, contrasting with the limited audience in Tokyo.
Despite his preference for staying out of the limelight, Neeraj understands the inevitable attention that comes with being an Olympic champion. He explained how he uses this attention as motivation. “Being the defending Olympic champion motivates me to perform well this time, but I know what happened in Tokyo stays there. To win here, I have to put in the work again, which keeps me focused on the task,” Neeraj said.
Commenting on the performance of other Indian athletes, Neeraj expressed optimism. “It’s a big positive that Indian athletes are reaching finals and finishing 4th in many events. We should take it as motivation. More athletes from India are participating in the Olympics, and we will reach medal positions in the coming years,” he concluded.
