Neeraj Chopra might just be India’s shining hope when it comes to international athletics. But, the Olympic gold medallist recognized that his popularity shall never trump the likes of beloved cricket icons such as Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni.
A modest Chopra, when asked about the parallel people draw with the likes of Kohli and Dhoni, remained humble and stated that his goal was only to help the sport of javelin gain more recognition, not at the cost of any other sports though.
“If you respect your sport and feel satisfied with it, then nothing else should matter,” stated Chopra in a talk with Sportstar.
“At the Doha Diamond League, I was asked how popular I was in India. I never tried to compare myself with the likes of Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni because I am well aware of the reality of who I am in India.”
“Yes, obviously after the Olympics, people recognize me a lot more. But, I know there is a stark difference in my popularity compared to that of a cricketer. Cricket is played in every single alley of the country. People don’t practice javelin in the same way,” stated an observant and self-aware Chopra.
“I don’t want to take shortcuts to make my sport popular. I want my sport to become popular with my hard work and effort,” an optimistic Chopra exclaimed.
Neeraj won the Tokyo Olympics gold with a throw of 87.58m, while his best in international competition has been 89.94m during the Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden in 2022.
India’s medal hopes will rest on shooting, badminton, wrestling, and boxing aside from the expectations of a second successive podium finish from Chopra, who scripted history with his javelin throw gold in Tokyo.
The javelin master shall lead India’s Olympic contingent of 118 athletes into the Paris Olympics, which are set to star from July 26.
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