Neeraj Chopra's World Championships silver highlights remarkable year

Javelin ace Neeraj Chopra aced his first year as an Olympic champion, winning a historic Worlds silver and Diamond League trophy

Winning an Olympic medal can leave an athlete drained. The journey towards sports' biggest honour is excruciating, and once the goal is achieved, the feeling of ecstasy soon leads to emptiness. ‘What next,’ is the question that stares athletes in the face as they set new goals. Shooter Abhinav Bindra had a similar feeling after his decade-long quest of an Olympic gold medal ended in Beijing Games in 2008. By that yardstick, Neeraj Chopra has been rather quick to refuel his ambition.

Neeraj Chopra reacts after setting a new national record and his personal best with a throw of 89.94 mts at the Stockholm Diamond League (PTI)

Each time he lines up on the runway with a javelin in hand, Chopra is expected to break new ground for Indian athletics. To be under constant spotlight can be nerve-wracking. But Chopra, in his first full season since the Olympics high in Tokyo, at no point seemed to be carrying the cross of an Olympic champion. If anything, it elevated his performance.

Having conquered Tokyo, Chopra set his eyes on World Championships and Diamond League this year and went all out to achieve them. His silver medal at the world championships in Eugene and Diamond League title were both significant milestones for Indian athletics.

Stakes were high for Chopra at the Worlds. No Indian athlete had won a medal at track and field's premier event since long jumper Anju Bobby George's bronze in 2003. Chopra was widely expected to shatter that record and end 19-year long wait for a medal.

Chopra started his season late in June giving himself good time to come back rejuvenated and in top shape after Tokyo. In his very first meet on return in Finland, he set a new national mark of 89.30m, bettering his previous record of 88.07m that he had set in March 2021. Showing amazing consistency, he again touched 89m, getting 89.94m in the Diamond League meet in Stockholm in a little over 15 days. He was making his javelin fly. There was hunger and a renewed sense of purpose and with every throw, Chopra was coming closer to the 90m distance.

That set him up nicely for gold at the Eugene championships along with another strong favourite Anderson Peters who had a monstrous 93.07m at the start of the season moving into fifth place in the all-time list.

Eugene, however, presented a different challenge to the throwers. Windy conditions were making it difficult to control the spear. Chopra, known to set the field on fire with big early throws, looked frustrated as his javelin was gaining more height than distance.

He lagged behind in his first three throws, but then came the big moment in his fourth attempt. Chopra delivered his best under intense pressure and roared back into silver medal contention with a 88.13m heave. He raised his fist and let out a scream. Though he had two more throws left, it was difficult to catch Peters. The world champion had blitzed the field with three 90-plus throws to retain his title.

With his world championship medal, Chopra has completed an impressive resume that included a gold medal in junior world championships in 2016, and gold medals at Asian Games and CWG. At the Diamond League final, Chopra fouled the first throw but soon found his range and won the titles with 88.44m. At every meet this year, Chopra has chased his goals with an air of quiet confidence and indefatigable energy. There was meticulous planning and execution that went about his training. He has consistently gone beyond 88m. His average throw was 88.57m.

"I am very happy with my consistency this season," Chopra had said reflecting on this year. "I think I have handled the season well with its ups and down — there was a groin strain too. "

The injury caused Chopra to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games where he would have again gone toe-to-toe with Peters.

What has helped Chopra is having the same team of support staff around him. High performance coach Klaus Bartonietz and physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha travel with Chopra for every training stint.

Fresh challenges

As a new season approaches, Chopra is already in the midst of his off-season training at UK’s Loughborough University.

Winning the world championship would be his top priority this year, while the postponed Asian Games is also likely to be held this year. There will be an exciting rivalry brewing too. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem — a surprise CWG medallist — who threw the spear to 90.18m in Birmingham, will be back after an elbow surgery. There will be Peters who consistently went past 90m this year, and Johannes Vetter, who skipped last season because of a shoulder injury.

What Chopra knows best is to adapt to conditions, like he showed in humid Tokyo or windy Eugene. "I am happier winning competitions than going after 90 metres. Sometimes even 85m is good enough to win because of the conditions," he said.