"Everything I achieve is for my father"- Navdeep Singh pays heartwarming tribute to his biggest inspiration ahead of Paris 2024 Paralympics
Para-athlete Navdeep Singh will be appearing at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, aiming to take care of unfinished business from three years ago. The para-javelin thrower finished fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. He will be chasing that podium finish in Paris this time around.
For Navdeep, no matter what he achieves in Paris and in life in general, everything that he does is all for his father. Sadly, the 23-year-old, lost his father in June of this year. Dalbir Singh, a national level wrestler, was a real inspiration to his son.
In an interaction with Sportskeeda, Navdeep, got emotional talking about him.
"My father is my biggest inspiration. I'll never get to where he got to in life, but everything I achieve, is for him. He did everything to get me to where I am at today. I owe everything in my life to him. Everything I do in Paris and this sport will always be dedicated completely to him," Navdeep said.
The rising star will be competing in the F41 category in Paris and need not look too far for motivation. For Navdeep Singh, his fellow Panipat-born compatriot, Neeraj Chopra, serves as the idol role-model.
"Being from Panipat, there is a special connection with Neeraj bhai. In 2016, when I had first started, he created a record in juniors. Even today, when I meet him, he talks to me like an elder brother and guides me on my skills and all other things in life. He's a great role-model," he added.
"I want to beat my personal best of 44.29m in Paris" - Navdeep Singh ahead of Paris 2024 Paralympics
Navdeep Singh is not thinking too far ahead ahead of his second Paralympics appearance. For him, the goal in Paris is to achieve his personal best. If he manages to do that, he believes would be a significant accomplishment for him.
"I want to beat my personal best of 44.29m. If I achieve that, it would increase my chances of a medal," he said, adding, "Tokyo was my first Paralympics and I was not as experienced. Now, I’ve gained a lot more game knowledge and this time will try harder to get on the podium in Paris," Navdeep added.
The thrower has put in the time and effort that will hold him in good stead. For Navdeep Singh, working on his technique was paramount in his bid to do well in Paris.
"I have started to plan my schedule more systematically. I've worked on my technique as my focus was more on technical aspects. Strength is being built, but, how to implement that strength in technique, is what I have worked on," he concluded.