India's Olympic Journey: A Mixed Legacy and a Hopeful Future
- Neeraj Chopra, a prominent Indian javelin thrower, is gearing up for success in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
- India's Olympic history has been modest given its population, but Chopra represents a new generation of athletes striving for greater achievements.
- With several established stars in the mix, Chopra aims to secure a top spot on the Olympic stage.
India, a nation of 1.4 billion, has a surprisingly modest Olympic history, securing only ten gold medals and a total of 35 medals since its debut over a century ago. This performance places India behind smaller nations like Estonia in the all-time medal tally. While Indian men's hockey has historically been a stronghold, individual Olympic success has been rare, with Abhinav Bindra's gold in 2008 marking a significant milestone that was only recently followed by Neeraj Chopra's triumph in javelin at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Chopra's rise to prominence was marked by his Commonwealth Games gold in 2018 and a national record at the Asian Games. However, his journey faced a significant hurdle when he suffered from bone spurs in his throwing elbow, necessitating surgery and a reevaluation of his technique. Despite this setback, Chopra remained focused on his goal of competing in the Tokyo Olympics, dedicating himself to rehabilitation and training. Under the guidance of coach Akshay Choudhary, Chopra expanded his training regimen to include long-distance running and studied the techniques of legendary javelin thrower Jan Zelezny. His efforts culminated in a historic Olympic victory, earning him an upgrade to the prestigious Khel Ratna Award. As the reigning world champion, Chopra is set to defend his title at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, where he will face strong competition, including silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic and Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem.