Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra begins his run-up for each of the six attempts in the javelin throw final, at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Sector 3 along with coach Naseem Ahmed as trainees and fellow athletes will dance to the dhol. Beats after effort. Chopra became India’s only second individual Olympic gold medalist with a throw of 87.58m at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday evening, it was Bhangra time for the coaches and trainees. Chopra trained at the stadium from 2011 to the early part of 2016, with a tearful Ahmed celebrating Chopra’s historic feat, with young athletes and trainees carrying Ahmed with the Indian flag on their shoulders.
“This is a pure country’s gold medal. The boy has made us and the entire nation proud. It means a lot to all of us to see him win the gold medal and see every trainee in the stadium cheer for Chopra this evening. It feels special for all of us to watch his journey from 2011 to Olympic champion and we look forward to the day when Neeraj will come to Panchkula to celebrate and show us the gold medal. The announcement of an athletic center in Panchkula by the Haryana government is also the biggest reward for us and I am sure that many more will emerge. Indian Express.
While trainees and coaches waited with bated breath for the final and would chant Chopra’s name as well, whenever other javelin throwers in the final threw less than Chopra’s mark, it was Chopra’s second throw of 87.58m that took the 200- The biggest cheer came from the odd trainees. Apart from Coach Ahmed. While Chopra would make two foul throws and a final throw of 84.24m as the commentators declared Chopra the ultimate champion, Ahmed could not control his tears and looked forward to distribute the laddoos to the trainees and fellow coaches.
“It was a historic day for India and we are glad that we can see Neeraj sir making history from the same stadium where he trained. With the other throwers struggling in the humid conditions, we knew Neeraj sir would win the gold medal and cheered him throughout the final. Seeing him carrying the national flag and watching Naseem sir cry and hold the national flag was an emotional moment for all of us too,” said Nikita Melak, a young trainee who had come to watch the final at the stadium.
Chopra’s friend and 2014 Asian Para Games silver medalist Narendra Ranbir, who was one of the fellow athletes who started training with Chopra in Panipat and later in Panchkula, watched the final from his village near Panipat and cheered for Chopra. Were. “Seeing Neeraj winning the gold medal today, we felt that all of us also won the gold medal. Most of us trained in a group and today we were congratulating each one of us,” said Narendra.
As for the cook Kashmiri Lal, who was in charge of the kitchen in the now-closed sports nursery at the stadium, he also watched the final from his village Nalipar near Karnal. “Neeraj always asked for a double bowl of custard and poori, chana halwa. The thief of winning gold has made the mouth of the pure country sweet,” said Lal.
During this, Professor Ravinder Choudhary and Professor Amanendra Mann, including shooter Anjum Moudgil, alumnus of DAV College, Sector 10, and other students, Chandigarhalso celebrated Chopra’s achievements as Chopra is an alumnus of the college. College Principal Pawan Sharma said, “Neeraj has made the college and the city proud and we had to relive his journey to make him an Olympic champion.”
Choudhary, secretary of the Athletics Federation of India, lauded Chopra’s achievement. “Neeraj has etched his name in the history books of Indian and world athletics and the athletics world is proud of him,” Choudhary said.
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