India’s javelin stars will kick off the outdoor season at the Doha leg of the Diamond League on May 10 with a new sense of ‘belief’. Leading the challenge will be world and Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and his comrade-in-arm, Kishore Jena. The events, including the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar on May 14-15, leading to Paris 2024 will also evaluate the returns from some intense overseas training under top coaches.
Chopra and Jena, who produced a historic gold-silver finish at the Hangzhou Asian Games, have both qualified for the upcoming Summer Olympics in July-August, but Chopra, the poster boy of Indian athletics, believes a third javelin thrower – DP Manu – should make the Paris cut as well.
“There was a time when I was not even sure of qualifying for a world championship but see how times have changed. In Budapest last year, we had three Indians (out of the top six) in the finals and that has made us believe we are no less than the Europeans who have dominated world javelin for so long. We have to take this Budapest belief forward and in Paris anything is possible,” said Chopra in an interview with SAI Media.
In the current Paris Olympics cycle, the government has spent more than 4.87 Crore INR on these three javelin throwers with Chopra receiving close to 4 Crore INR alone. The major expenses include training and competition related, equipment, coach’s salary and out-of-pocket allowances. Chopra said he had always paid attention to his overseas training and has meticulously chosen his competition schedule so that he is fully prepared ahead of a major global event. It will be no different ahead of Paris.
“The entire scenario changes when you arrive at the Games Village. The real pressure starts building up then. But I should be prepared,” said Chopra. The genial 26-year-old Chopra attributed his preparedness to the training he has undergone overseas at different international centers in Finland, South Africa, UK and Turkey at various times.
Doha Diamond League Live Streaming Details:
What is the name of the event?
Diamond League 2024 – Doha
When is the event?
May 10, 2024
Where is the event?
Doha, Qatar
When does Jenna Kishore and Neeraj Chopra’s event start?
Time: 9:30 PM onwards
Live streaming in India: JioCinema
TV broadcast in India: Sports18 – 1 (HD), Sports18 – 3
With inputs from ANI