Sitting alongside two greats of men’s javelin, Thomas Rohler and Julius Yego, Neeraj Chopra on Friday narrated a pinch-himself-moment from the previous evening.
When at the gym in the Kanteerava Stadium, Neeraj saw Rohler and others training on the field. That’s when it struck him that the Neeraj Chopra Classic, his dream project, was just 48 hours away.
The two-time Olympic and World Championship medallist was overwhelmed.
“I was telling them that I was in the gym, and saw you and the others throwing. It was my dream that it would happen in India and now finally it is here. So thank you,” Neeraj said looking towards Rohler and Yego.
In a new role as the face of the World Athletics Category A event, Neeraj has knuckled down and got to work ensuring that everything is in the best order.
That includes worrying about the spice in the food at the official team hotel, another example of him being a good host. “I was telling them about the food, I was thinking of you guys hoping it is not too spicy,” Neeraj said. For the benefit of Rohler and Yego, he kept translating into English after answering questions in Hindi.
Neeraj, his sponsors and backers, have shelled out money for appearance fees, travel and accommodation for some of the top javelin throwers in the world, a ball-park figure of Rs 4 crore is being talked about as the entire cost of hosting the NC Classic. Till early last week, they were still some way from breaking even with major sponsors on board.
But the inaugural edition of the NC Classic is not about the bottomline. When asked about the funding and business model, Neeraj sounded like a parent conducting the first wedding in a family. Burning a small hole in the pocket didn’t matter at this stage.
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“If I talk about the business side, for me right now the only aim is to make this event a success. That is my focus. That the NC Classic is happening, that in itself is a big thing. Rest of the things don’t matter now. I want to promote the sport,” he said.
Good host
The current world champion has had a lot on his plate. He’s been in Bengaluru for a week, going the extra mile to ensure a glitch-free event. Being on the other side, he’s already spoken about having ‘new-found respect for people who put an event together’.
“One of the toughest parts was to think and plan about such a big event and then also having to compete in it. The mind of an athlete is a bit slow. For me, so far it has been about just competing,” Neeraj said.
He also spoke like a serious sports administrator with a long-term vision for the growth of the sport.
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“As we see, there are so many international competitions in Germany and other nations almost every week. So, this is what I want in India, as there should be at least four-five competitions which are world-class. The athletes should get a chance and people should see them play. That will be very good for our sport,” the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist said.
Sachin Yadav, 25, sitting beside Neeraj and sharing the dais with Rohler and Yego, is one of the five Indian athletes in the fray. There’s been talk of Sachin, an Asian Championship silver medallist, being the one to carry Neeraj’s legacy forward.
Sachin, a man of few words, said he was looking forward to sharing the field with some of the greats. He remembers the day Neeraj got in touch with him.
“I couldn’t believe that I got a message from Neeraj bhai. Thanks so much to Neeraj bhai for inviting me to this competition. I am very happy to be here. There are throwers from all over the world, some of the best. I can compete with everyone and that too in India,” Sachin said.
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Game-changer
Rohler, the 2016 Olympic gold medallist, said the inaugural NC Classic was a step forward for the sport in India.
“Neeraj being on the top of the world in the sport… this is like the logical step to bring the sport to the people, not only on TV but in person,” Rohler said. The German, however, said quality coaches are key to tap the potential of the next generation.
“There are talented athletes, but who will coach them? So I am looking forward to seeing the whole development of the sport to make it something sustainable and not just a small trend,” he said.
Yego, who like Neeraj in India, was the javelin trend-setter in Kenya, a country famous for its long-distance runners. The emergence of world-class throwers from outside the traditional powerhouse countries has warmed his heart, Yego said.
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“Who would have thought that India would have a competition featuring only javelin. So we might see next year, or years to come, more countries deciding to host javelin competitions. This is a good initiative and coming from one of our friends, Chopra. So the sport is growing,” Yego said.
Back in the official hotel, there were fans waiting to click selfies with Neeraj. He had a final training session in the evening, followed by a pre-event dinner for the athletes, officials and guests. On the eve of the big day, Neeraj had a hundred things on his mind. He was hard-pressed for time but seemed to have things under control. Like he does, more often than not, once a competition begins.
