A Neeraj Chopra statistic that is worth highlighting
25 Aug, 2023
Screengrab via World Athletics
Note: This was written before his gold medal in the final. Neeraj Chopra, of course, registered another 88+ mark to create history. Article has been updated to reflect latest stats.
It is no secret that an Olympic medal just completely changes the life of an Indian athlete. Any Olympic medal. It is seen as the pinnacle of possible achievements and the accolades that follow are manifold. Branding opportunities, momentary rewards, sporting honours and to go with all that, increased scrutiny of course.
In all that, one thing that has always amazed me is how do they maintain their motivation to keep getting better. Which is why I think PV Sindhu's achievement of winning medals at back-to-back Games to be a massive one. Which is also why I find Neeraj Chopra's continued improvement since Tokyo to be incredible.
Here's a man who won a medal that many of us felt was beyond Indian sport in our lifetimes maybe: gold at the Olympic Games in track and field. And he did so not outside expectations. He had been on a path towards that (a podium surely, gold perhaps just about) for a while, and achieved it while managing the pressure.
There are many things that astound me about Neeraj. The way he carries himself every time he interacts with the media, or even fans at the venue. The rooted nature of his approach towards his fellow athletes. The outward ease with which he holds the mantle of being one of the greatest Indian athletes already. And his desire to ensure that he carries things forward as a collective, sparing time not just for colleagues but also other sportspersons in general.
But, tangibly, there is one other aspect that is worth a lot of appreciation.
The mark that won him gold medal in Tokyo on that famous August night was a memorable 87.58m. After that, he has competed seven times in 2022, and four times in 2023. In that period, he has finished an event below that mark ONLY ONCE. And that came at Kuortane Games last year in Finland, when he registered 86.69m in absolutely treacherous conditions.
Neeraj Chopra registered a 86.69 with his first attempt. Didn't throw after a slip in his third attempt but seemed precautionary. Most athletes passed their last couple of attempts. That first attempt enough to win the event.
He has been asked so many times about the 90m mark. And to be honest, it is a milestone he too sees as an important one for his career. “Ultimately, 90m is just a distance," he said in the pre-season press conference this year. "There are times in events where even with the world’s best javelin throwers present, you get the gold with 85m or 86m. The biggest thing for me is to handle the pressure and perform in an event no matter what the weather and conditions. I won’t be able to throw 90m all the time. The main thing is to throw well on the biggest platforms. I focus on being consistent. I’m not saying 90m is not necessary, it is important. It is a magic number. The 90m club is special among javelin throwers and hopefully I shall also enter it this year."
But it is worth highlighting that the wait for 90m (which feels closer than ever) shouldn't overshadow the fact that Neeraj Chopra has constantly, consistently improved his performance even beyond arguably the greatest single achievement in Indian sporting history.
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