Chopra says belief key to success in Paris Games

Olympic and world javelin champion Neeraj Chopra said Indian athletes have shown they can compete with the European powerhouses of the event and that the key to success at the Paris Games is maintaining their selfbelief.

European athletes had won 15 of the last 16 gold medals in the men’s event before Chopra threw 87.58m at the Tokyo Games in 2021 to become the first Asian man to win an Olympic javelin title.

The 26-year-old will defend his crown at the July 26-Aug 11 Games and will be joined by compatriot Kishore Jena, while DP Manu also has a chance of qualifying for Paris.

The trio were in the finals of last year’s Budapest world championships, where Chopra bagged gold to add to his silver from Eugene, Oregon a year earlier.

“There was a time when I wasn’t even sure of qualifying for the world championships, but see how times have changed,” Chopra said in an interview with Sports Authority of India (SAI) media.

“In Budapest last year, we had three Indians (out of the top six) in the finals and that’s made us believe we’re 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.” He said he had meticulously chosen his competition schedule 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,” he added. — Reuters