There is a new star that has taken the country by storm. Last Saturday was a remarkable day for the entire country, as 23 years old Neeraj Chopra created history. Not only did he win a gold medal for the country in the Tokyo Olympics this year, but he has been able to win the heart of the entire country and media. The athlete from the humble family of Haryana, secured gold in the javelin throw category when he threw it 87.58 meters away.
To date, he’s the 2nd person in the country, other than Abhinav Bindra, to have secured a gold medal at the Olympics. He’s also the first athlete in Independent India to win a medal in a “track and field” event at a quadrangular event, according to the Indian Army.
Being born into a humble family of farmers and belonging to a tiny village in Haryana, Chopra was brought up with his two sisters. He took to the sport of javelin throwing as a hobby to lose weight but eventually started building a knack for the sport. This isn’t his first attempt to glory though. In the year 2016, Neeraj came into the picture with his stellar performance demonstrated at the U-20 World Championship, organized in Poland. There, he made a world record in the junior category with a throwing distance of 86.48m. After which, he even went on to win the Asian Championship, organized in Bhubaneswar, in the next year.
Reaching New Heights and Training with a Legend
This is the time when his training began under the legendary athlete and German coach Uwe Hohn, the only person in the world with a record of throwing a javelin 104.80m far. Under his guidance, Neeraj won gold the next year, at the Commonwealth Games and also in the Asian Games in the same year. He also reached his personal best of 87.43m distance in the Doha leg of Diamond League that year.
Being Part of Mission Olympics Wing
Chopra’s life began to take a turn when he joined the Indian Army on May 15, 2016. He was recruited in the 4 Rajputana Rifles directly as a Naib Subedar. After which, Neeraj became a part of the Mission Olympics Wing, initiated by the Indian Army to find and train sportsmen from the army in 11 disciplines at five Mission Olympics Nodes. The purpose is to train these elite athletes so they can compete in all national and international events representing the country. So far, this initiative has brought India two Olympic silver medals in shooting.
This training program elevated Chopra’s natural skills and also got him the Arjuna Award in 2018 and the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2020 that marks his excellence in the sport of javelin throw.
The Evolution of Sports Schools in India
This can be a lesson for parents and students alike in India who feel that sports are not of the same importance as academics. Even if your child doesn’t grow up to be a world-class athlete, having played some sort of sports in the growing years can help them develop a well-rounded personality as well as a healthy body that will fuel their success in the future. There is not an ounce of doubt that India has been a country that always promoted a strong sports culture. Sports in Indiagoes back to the ancient and medieval times and with Neeraj Chopra’s success proves to be prevalent in contemporary times as well.
However, the kind of activities performed in modern schools, may not be enough to guide that. Therefore, specialized sports schools, such as the Aditya School of Sports, and various others are evolving quickly in the country as more people become aware of the importance of sports.
In the end, it can be said that legends like Neeraj Chopra are an inspiration to all, especially the younger generation. And modern-day parents need to understand that the Indian culture of sports goes well beyond cricket and football, as various other sports like racing, wrestling, swimming, archery, and even javelin throw can be part of training and development that can help your child enhance their skills and dreams.
