NEW DELHI (India): India’s javelin star Neeraj Chopra has set his sights after securing India’s first-ever Olympics athletics gold medal on Saturday.
Chopra created Olympic history for the nation of 1.3 billion people with an 87.58-metre second throw to win gold.
Famous for his boyish looks and ultra-bright smile, Chopra then set his sights on the Olympic record of 90.57 metres, but could not better his second throw.
“Now I want to achieve the 90-metre mark as soon as possible,” said Chopra.
The 23-year-old said he gave his best from the beginning to put pressure on his rivals, particularly Germany’s Johannes Vetter.
Vetter had thrown seven times over 90m between April and June including a season’s best of 96.29m, but faltered and failed to qualify as one of the top eight.
“If the first throw is good, then you grow in confidence. My second throw was also stable (87.58, which clinched gold),” Chopra told reporters.
“I wasn’t sure of the gold (after the second throw), but knew I had thrown my best.
“We can’t bring thoughts of gold into our minds (during the competition). Such thoughts are dangerous, then there is a risk that we may not put the required effort.”
Chopra said while he was aware India had yet to strike gold before the men’s javelin final — the last event for his country before the end of the Games — he felt “no pressure”.
