Olympic gold medallist and javelin world champion, Neeraj Chopra chats with us about his growing up years, sporting stories, and everything he holds close to his heart.

By ANANYA BAHL

An Unusual Choice
First things first: there was no thought of taking up the sport professionally when I picked up the javelin. It was simply a sport that intrigued me. I wanted to lose weight as a kid and needed to choose a hobby that helped me burn calories. I watched a few of my seniors hurl the javelin and took to it instantly. And then, one thing led to another. I had no idea about the success I would achieve, to be very honest. If you had said to that little kid that he would go on to win medals at the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Athletics Championships, as well as a Diamond League title, he wouldn’t have believed it!

While there are a lot of feelings associated with these achievements, most importantly, it has given me the chance to inspire a generation of young, talented athletes from our country, and I am grateful for that. Every tournament, medal, and success is an opportunity to put India on the sporting map, and I am happy to be the conduit for all of this!

The Inspiration Factor
Like any human being, I go through low phases, as well—they are a part of every professional athlete’s life. Sometimes you have to dig deep and power through them. And at other times, you need to simply pause or slow down and reset. Rest and recovery—physically and mentally—are as important as training and competing. I’m greatly inspired by Jan Železný, the javelin world record holder, Olympian, and former world champion. I must have watched every single video that features him!

Discipline Is Everything
To stay consistent and motivated, my team and I follow weekly schedules. Typically, we have two training sessions that are three- to four-hours-long each—one in the morning, followed by another one in the evening. The remaining time is for meals, recovery, and rest. It sounds very monotonous, but it is what it is! Sometimes ‘boring’ is a good thing.

Matters Close to the Heart
I have to travel a lot for work. So, when it comes to home, what I miss the most are my family and friends. Then there’s all the home-cooked food and simplicity of a small town that I love and miss so much. As an athlete, you have to have to control what you eat, but during the off season, I love to have some homemade churma (coarsely ground wheat cooked with ghee and sugar). It’s my absolute favourite dish! When I’m travelling, I love trying local food as much as I can, but I’ve also got to be mindful of my diet when I am competing or training. However, I do make it a point to try at least one local dish every place I go. When it comes to downtime, this might sound strange but training every day feels like a pampering session for me. Nothing makes me happier than finishing a good training session! Otherwise, I do like shopping, which I indulge in occasionally. During the sporting calendar’s off season (usually October and November), when I have the time, I enjoy clicking photographs or going out on drives. If I am at home, time is usually spent catching up with family and friends as well as living life at a slower and more chilled-out pace. We either go for short trips with friends or, if I’m in Europe, I enjoy going on solo holidays for a few days to nearby countries.

On My Globetrotting Map
Since I love to travel, I’m very lucky that my sport of choice enables me to explore the world for training sessions and competitions. Currently, I barely get any time in India because of the busy season, but hopefully in the coming years, I’d like to explore more of my country—especially the northeast and southern states, as these regions boast many beautiful destinations. Abroad, I like visiting Switzerland. It’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world—the greenery, mountains, people, and calmness all around are just magical. I went jetboating with my family in Interlaken and that’s a memory that’s very close to my heart. Even though I’m not much of a city person, I really enjoyed my time in Zurich. There’s also a training centre in the village of Magglingen, where I train in the summers. I have also had a lot of fun in Turkey and South Africa.

A Message to My Fans
I would like to tell those who follow me and my career that we don’t know what we are capable of until we try something consistently. This isn’t just for kids who are taking up the javelin; this is for everyone—no matter what they want to pursue. For those taking up sport, I will say it takes dedication, good habits, and turning up consistently. Just keep going at it until you find success.

Coming Up
My next training session! I am incredibly focused on the Olympics. At the moment, it is all about working hard on getting better, sharper, and fitter. See you on the field very soon!

QUICK SHOTS WITH NEERAJ
Your favourite colour.
There are two: blue and black.
Two things you just cannot travel without.
My passport and mobile phone!
Netflix binge or a good book?
Netflix binge.
A sport you love apart from javelin.
Volleyball.
Your most loved musical artiste.
Lata Mangeshkar.
Camping vs Skydiving?
Skydiving, because I haven’t tried camping yet!
Three words to describe Neeraj.
Natural, self-believing, and infinite.

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