'Kishore Jena and I will do it together': Neeraj Chopra on breaching 90m mark

NEW DELHI: Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra has voiced his optimism about breaking the coveted 90-meter barrier in javelin throw, along with fellow Indian athlete Kishore Jena.
Chopra demonstrated his dominance in the field by defending his gold medal in the recently concluded 19th Asian Games with an impressive throw of 88.88 meters.
The only competitor who came close to challenging Chopra's supremacy was his compatriot Kishore Jena.Hailing from Odisha, Jena achieved a personal best with back-to-back throws, nearly matching Chopra's season-best of 88.88 meters by reaching 87.54 meters in the men's javelin throw final event.

During a felicitation event organized by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), attended by Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Chopra spoke about the 90-meter challenge and expressed his confidence, stating, "I was confident with my training, and I believe I can cross the 90-meter mark. Congratulations to all the media persons; you can ask the question again. I will be able to do it, and I hope Jena and I will achieve this together."
Upon his return to India after successfully defending his Asian Games gold, Neeraj expressed his delight and highlighted the impact of his achievements on inspiring youngsters to take up javelin.
Chopra stated, "I can only speak about javelin and whether my achievements are inspiring many more to take up athletics. Yes, I am glad to say that a lot of boys and girls are showing great interest in javelin after my feats."

Reflecting on his journey, which began in the state of Telangana, Chopra explained, "Yes, it has been a very tough journey, and interestingly, the first thoughts of how it would be to make it to the Olympics first crossed my mind here in this city in 2015 when I competed in the Junior Fed Cup meet and won a gold."
He further elaborated on the hardships he faced, including traveling in unreserved train compartments and sharing accommodations with fellow athletes. Despite these challenges, Chopra's dedication and unwavering focus have led him to the pinnacle of the sport.
As both Chopra and Jena set their sights on the 90-meter milestone, the future of Indian javelin throw promises to be an exciting one, with a new generation of athletes eager to follow in their footsteps.
(With ANI inputs)