Xtra Time Web Desk: Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra on Wednesday had a hectic schedule during his maiden trip to Kolkata. The 23 year old Army man was in then City of Joy on a two-day visit for a private felicitation programme jointly organised by JSW Sports and Satadru Dutta Initiative.
Neeraj, who did the country proud by winning its maiden gold in track and field events at the Tokyo Olympics revealed that he has set his eyes on the Olympic record to go with his gold medal feat at the Tokyo Games. Neeraj, who has a personal best of 87.58 metres, clinched the historic gold with a throw of 87.58m in his second attempt at Tokyo Games. The Olympic record stands at 90.57m set by Andreas Thorkildsen in Beijing 2008 as Neeraj said it would be great to add one more feather to his cap.
“An Olympic gold medal is the ultimate. But in athletics, you can add one more thing to your gold medal — an Olympic record,” the 23-year-old said during his maiden trip to Kolkata after becoming the first ever Indian athlete to win an Olympics gold.
“I’ve the national record standing at 88.07 metres, while the Olympic record is 90.57. If I can go a step further then it would be an Olympic gold with a personal best and an Olympic record,” he said about his target.
Having already decided to end the 2021 season due to a “packed schedule”, Neeraj said he has three important events — World Championships, Commonwealth Championships and Diamond League — lined up next year.
“I will start training soon, and will focus on my real work then,” he concluded.
The javelin champion was earlier felicitated by West Bengal MOS for sports and youth affairs Manoj Tiwary. He was treated with authentic Bengali dishes at lunch that included luchi, kasha mangsha, chingri malaikari to mishti doi, rosogolla and sandesh.
Already the toast of the nation, Neeraj’s golden feat undoubtedly will be a much celebrated theme during Durga Puja as he was invited to witness the biggest festival of the state next month.