The recent Olympic Games saw history made in the men’s javelin final, with Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem securing gold and India’s Neeraj Chopra taking silver. While Nadeem’s victory was celebrated with a traditional gift of a buffalo from his father-in-law, Chopra revealed that he too has received similar gifts in his career.
Chopra, the reigning Olympic and World champion, shared in a recent media interaction that he was once gifted desi ghee (clarified butter) for his success in the sport.
He explained that in his home region of Haryana, athletes are often presented with such gifts, including ghee, ladoos (sweet treats), motorcycles, and even tractors.
“There are promises made: ‘If Neeraj wins this competition, I’ll give him 50 kgs of ghee.’ I would hear these things being said since I was a kid,” Chopra said, adding that these gifts are seen as a way to boost strength and are common in sports like kabaddi and wrestling.
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Nadeem’s record-breaking throw of 92.97m pushed Chopra to a new personal best of 89.45m, a feat he achieved despite managing a groin injury.
Chopra expressed confidence in his ability to surpass Nadeem’s throw, but admitted that his body couldn’t keep up with his mental determination.
“It wasn’t that I couldn’t have made that distance but I just couldn’t push myself that much,” he said, attributing the shortfall to his legwork on the runway. Despite the injury, Chopra remains positive about his recovery and future performance.
