Tokyo Olympics: Can Neeraj Chopra make history?
Naib Subedar Neeraj Chopra is back in action after over a year. However, the soldier and javelin thrower is a bit off-color, managing a modest throw of just 83.18 meters in a preliminary meeting in Lisbon. While that may be good enough for a practice meeting, it won't be good enough for the Tokyo Olympics just a couple of months away.
But that was certainly not on the mind of the JCO. He had been starved of international competition for months. What he is now focusing on achieving is something that no Asian thrower has been able to pull off - a 90m plus throw and a possible Olympic gold medal.
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Can Neeraj Chopra make the impossible possible?
The one question that lingers on everyone's mind these days is, can Neeraj Chopra make the impossible possible? Can he breach the 90-meter mark? Can he create history and bring Asia its first-ever Olympic gold in javelin throw?
Till date, the javelin throw event has been a stomping ground for European and American competitors, with the the biggest unofficial record holder ironically being his own former coach Uwe Hohn; the only man who has unofficially thrown beyond 100 meters. The official record belongs to retired Czech Jan Zelezny, who has thrown to the distance of 98.48 meters.
As such, no Asian has been able to capture the Olympic gold medal. Will Neeraj be able to break this jinx and win Olympic gold? He very well might. Not since the likes of Milkha Singh, PT Usha and Anju Bobby George has an Indian shown as much promise in the discipline of world athletics.
Neeraj Chopra was the first Indian to win the Junior World Athletics Championships for India in 2016. He was also the first of his country to win a gold medal at the Asian Games in the men's javelin throw in 2018, breaking his own national record with a throw of 88.06 meters. As such, if he breaches the 90-meter mark and bags gold, Neeraj could be the first Indian, as well as the first Asian, to win an Olympic title of any kind in athletics.
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What stands in Neeraj Chopra's way to the Olympic podium?
However, the road to Olympic glory is not that easy. This has been evident from Neeraj's wobbly showing at the World Championships. In his very first stint at the 2017 Championships, he faltered. However, that could be chalked down to inexperience. After regaining more experience, Neeraj injured himself before the 2019 edition. Ironically, his best performance would have been enough to win him a historic gold medal by miles. Anju Bobby George gave India its first medal at the 2003 World Championships, in the women's long jump, but Neeraj Chopra would have immortalized his name in golden letters.
All the Naib Subedar needs is practice. If he just throws 87 meters-plus in each attempt at the Tokyo Olympics, that would be more than enough to keep him in contention for a podium finish. This would be historic in itself. Should he throw beyond that, Neeraj Chopra could become India's Midas, the man with the golden touch.