In 2022, the Indian Olympic champion came within 6cm of crossing 90m in the men’s javelin throw. He hopes to reach it one day.
Not only Indian athletics fans and followers are eagerly awaiting Neeraj Chopra to surpass the 90m mark. The excitement is reaching a global level. During the press conference prior to the Diamond League event in Doha on Thursday, Olympic and World Champion Miltiadis Tentoglou was asked if he has a dream distance he hopes to achieve in long jump one day. He replied, “Before I answer that, I would like to express my happiness if Neeraj throws 90m tomorrow.” Neeraj smiled at his words.
India’s Olympic champion has acknowledged the significance of 90m in men’s javelin throw and his desire to achieve it one day. In 2022, he fell just 6cm short of this magical number. This topic is once again in the forefront as he prepares for his title defense in Paris, beginning his season at the Doha Diamond League. Ideally, the distance shouldn’t impact his success as long as he throws best on competition days. However, it has become almost mythical and one can understand his eagerness to surpass it early on.
“People have been asking me this question ever since I threw 88.06 at the Asian Games in 2018,” Neeraj said on Thursday. “A lot has happened since then, my elbow injury, surgery, and now I am stuck between 88 and 90 meters.”
It is my intention to break the 90m barrier this year. Even last year, I said Doha was renowned for 90m. Unfortunately, we did not have the luck last year because of too much headwind. Maybe tomorrow will be better. As it is an Olympics year and India is a large country, everyone expects gold. I just have to stay healthy and work on my technique. Everything will be fine if I stay healthy.”
Neeraj often boasts that consistency is a key strength of his. According to him, it may even be his greatest strength. Despite being able to throw over 90 meters, he values consistency more. This is evident in the fact that his winning throw of 87.58m in Tokyo isn’t even among his top 10 throws anymore. He has only thrown below this mark twice in 2023 (after his World Championships victory) and once in 2022 (under terrible weather conditions). Since the Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj has achieved over 88m ten times, with three throws exceeding 89m.
As he prepares to compete in Doha after a lengthy absence, Neeraj is seeking the same consistency he had at the Hangzhou Asian Games where he won a hard-fought gold medal over 7 months ago. During the press conference, Neeraj playfully mentioned that while his popularity has increased since Tokyo, it does not compare to that of cricketers like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. Unlike athletes in track and field events, players like Kohli are constantly in action and must take breaks to manage their workload. However, Neeraj’s offseason has been extensive and he typically competes in only 7-8 events per year at most.
He resumed working with Spencer Mackay, Head of Strength & Conditioning at Inspire Institute of Sport, during winter sessions in Potchefstroom, South Africa, to stay in top shape during winter sessions. After stepping up throwing sessions, he moved to Turkey. He must stay away from the spotlight while adhering to carefully planned processes.
During a recent press event, Neeraj discussed his daily routine while training outside of India. Although some may assume it’s an exciting life, the reality is quite different. The typical day consists of morning training, meals, and rest, followed by an evening training session, dinner, and bedtime. This was particularly evident during their 2-3 month stay in South Africa where they remained at the center for four weeks straight. They were confined to the hostel, dining hall, and training area – essentially living within those boundaries most days.
As competition time approaches, the urge to win will resurface. Neeraj’s performance in Doha will give a glimpse of his progress at the start of an Olympic year, while also allowing him to see what his top competitors have been up to. Adding to the excitement, he will be accompanied by Kishore Kumar Jena. Neeraj has always hoped to see more Indians participate in Diamond League meets and Jena, who gave him a good scare in Hangzhou, will aim to leave his mark as well. In a playful manner, Neeraj joked that the world has been asking about the 90m mark; perhaps Jena will achieve it before him in Doha.
But true to his word, Neeraj will be focused on the runway, doing what he has done best throughout his career: trusting his training, stepping up, and delivering his best. In the end, the 90m will just be a by-product of his hard work during all the months of training.
Max Dehning, the 19-year-old German who made headlines earlier this year with a 90.20m throw, will not be participating in the Doha competition. However, his impressive performance has caught Neeraj Chopra’s attention as well. The two athletes are set to meet at the Paavo Nurmi Games. Although there will be no German presence in Doha, Neeraj’s main rival will once again be Jakub Vadlejch, the Czech athlete who has accompanied Neeraj to most events and started off the season strong with an 87.00m throw in South Africa. From an Indian perspective, Kishore Kumar Jena adds even more excitement to the Doha DL meet. In their last encounter at the Hangzhou Asian Games final, Jena briefly overtook Neeraj with an 87.54m throw. Other notable names to watch out for include Anderson Peters and Julius Yego, both of whom have thrown over 90m in their careers. Peters, a two-time World Champion, struggled after his accident in late 2022, while Yego, the 2016 Olympic silver medallist, is not currently at the top of his game. Finland’s
Kishore Kumar Jena and Neeraj Chopra’s event will begin at 10.12 pm IST on Friday, and will be broadcast live on JioCinema and Sports18. Event broadcast begins at 9.30 pm IST.
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