New Delhi: India’s two-time Olympic medallist and reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra would be the star attraction in a marquee worldwide javelin event at house later this yr, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) mentioned on Tuesday.
The AFI is planning a world occasion at house to money in on Neeraj Chopra’s international reputation to provide javelin a push (PTI)
Chopra has emerged as a world monitor and area star on the again of his stupendous worldwide success that features back-to-back medals on the Olympics and World Championships.
After his historic gold on the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Chopra received a silver (2022, Eugene) and a gold (2023, Budapest) on the World Championships earlier than pocketing an Olympic silver in Paris final yr. In addition to, he has had a dominating run in Diamond League with successive podium finishes within the final three years. He received the title in Zurich in 2022 and returned with silver in 2023 Eugene and 2024 Brussels.
Nevertheless, Chopra has competed solely as soon as at house within the intervening interval. In Might final yr, he appeared in Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar which he received with a throw of 82.27m. For the reason that Tokyo excessive, Chopra has been coaching abroad and competing in worldwide occasions. The AFI is subsequently planning a world occasion at house to money in on his international reputation to provide the game a push in India.
“We are looking to hold a top javelin competition in India in which the top-10 javelin throwers in the world will compete. This will be an invitation tournament to be held later this year,” outgoing AFI president Adille Sumariwalla mentioned in Chandigarh.
“Neeraj Chopra will be there. He is part of the team that is organising the event, along with JSW, a foreign firm, and the AFI are coming together to create this competition. This is being done as there is so much interest in javelin with August 7 — the day Neeraj won gold in Tokyo — being observed as National Javelin Day,” Sumariwalla added.
AFI is seeking to organise the occasion after the World Championships in Tokyo which is scheduled from September 13-21.
It’s understood that Chopra himself will likely be canvassing for the house occasion and can personally lengthen an invite to high throwers. As is the norm in worldwide monitor and area occasions, international stars drum up help for his or her house occasions that helps the organisers draw high athletes.
Chopra is massively well-liked on the circuit and shares nice camaraderie with the bunch of high javelin throwers. Final yr, he withdrew from the Golden Spike meet in Czech Republic attributable to a niggle however saved his phrase to javelin thrower and Olympic medallist Jakub Vadlejch and confirmed up at his house occasion as a visitor which was appreciated by the organisers.
With Chopra, lengthy jumper Murali Sreeshankar, steeplechaser Avinash Sable serving to Indian athletics take spectacular strides on this planet, AFI is seeking to carry house worldwide occasions. Sumariwalla mentioned India has expressed curiosity to host the 2029 World Championships and 2027 World Relays.
The AFI has already pitched for a bronze stage Continental Tour occasion in Bhubaneswar this yr moreover submitting a bid utility for internet hosting the 2028 World Junior (U-20) Championships. This was introduced final month when World Athletics president Sebastian Coe visited India final month.
“I’ve been to the city (Bhubaneshwar) during the Asian Championships (in 2017), and it’s a good sporting city. I’ve also received a letter of intent to stage the U-20 World Championships from AFI. That now sits with our bidding team alongside other bids,” Coe had mentioned, whereas confirming the continental tour meet in Bhubaneswar.
“They (AFI) are sharing an ambition to stage more of our events. But that’s over to our evaluation panel and bidding teams to go through the checks, and make sure that all the right assets are in place in order to do that,” Coe mentioned.