Neeraj Chopra's long wait for foreign training, competition continues

Chopra has been waiting since 2019 for a regular international competition

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS No athlete, with eyes set on an Olympic medal, likes uncertainty and start-stop training and competition. Indian javelin thrower and the country's best bet for a first-ever medal in the field events, Neeraj Chopra, is no different. The 23-year-old has been waiting since 2019 for a regular international competition to warm up for the Tokyo Games. But it is proving to be more difficult with every passing day, and the date of departure to Tokyo approaches.

"It's difficult for all athletes,” Chopra said in an interaction organised by the Sports Authority of India, at the NIS Patiala where he is currently training. “We are not getting any competition alongside our training. It is a difficult time in the country. People are dying. I am trying to give my 100 per cent in training. but I need competition badly. Last two years, I have had no big international competitons. I need that exposure badly."

Chopra burst on to the national and international stage with a record at the IAAF world U-20 championships in 2016 and went on to win the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2018 Asian Games gold medal. But, since 2019, there have been little or no top level competitions. In 2019, he had a one-year layoff due to elbow injury and surgery, and 2020-21 saw him out of action due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He got a chance to train and compete in South Africa in January 2020, with a throw of 87.86m. This was his last foreign competition. The Athletics Federation of India had planned to send the javelin throwers to Turkey for a training and exposure programme last month but it was cancelled due to the new quarantine rules for Indians.

Chopra, however, is still hopeful that his coaches, AFI and SAI can work something out. "I have spoken with my team and have zeroed in on Sweden or Finland as our training base. The competitive levels there are better."

Speaking about his training and 'that' 90m mark, Chopra exuded confidence that he is close to achieving it. "I am close to it but depends on that day. I feel I am ready to cross the 90m mark this year."

It all comes down to the competition though. Without it, it's immensely difficult for the thrower and his coach Uwe Hohn to judge anything. "The curent group of javelin throwers in the world is bigger and better as compared to the ones in Rio and London Olympics. There are 6-7 throwers who are throwing over 67-66m regularly," said the Panipat-born Chopra.

On the uncertainty surrounding the Tokyo Olympics, Chopra said, “I missed Rio Olympic Games by a whisker. I broke the world junior record just 10-12 days after it. But I have been preparing for Tokyo games for four years now. If something happens with Tokyo games, I can't do anything. Four years of hard work will be gone. I feel these 23 years of my career are my main years. How long will this last, I wonder. What are we training for? How long can one remain positive?"