Doha, Qatar – Reigning men’s javelin world champion and Olympic silver medallist Neeraj Chopra is set to get his 2025 athletics season under way at World Athletics’ Doha Diamond League event in Qatar on Friday.
The two-time Olympic medal-winning Indian athlete – gold at Tokyo 2021 and silver at Paris 2024 – walks into the new season following a stressful few weeks at home.
From facing social media backlash for inviting Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem to the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin event, to publicly pledging his support for the Indian armed forces amidst their near full-fledged war against Pakistan and dealing with the weight of expectations on the field – Chopra says he’s happy to get back on the field.
In this brief chat with Al Jazeera, the 27-year-old star spills his thoughts on the mental pressure of being a high-profile athlete in India, the boon and bane of social media, and the upcoming athletics season.
Al Jazeera: How do you deal with the mental pressure of being a high-profile athlete and celebrity in a sport-mad country like India?
Neeraj Chopra: The ability to win medals for my country is a matter of great pride for me and, to some extent, it takes care of some of the pressure.
As long as I focus on my tasks and challenges on the field, I am able to overcome the mental challenges.
I mostly train outside India, sometimes in South Africa during off-season and in Europe during the competition season. When I go back to India I have to live up to my public image and act in a certain way, especially for sponsorship deals, and I don’t enjoy it very much.
Initially, after my success at the Tokyo Games, it was difficult but with time and the help of some of the experienced athletes, I have learned to deal with it.
Al Jazeera: Is social media to be blamed for some of this pressure?
Chopra: Social media has given everyone with a phone and an internet connection the platform and freedom to say whatever they like and attack whomever they want.
Some people take to social media to vent their pent-up frustrations. If they are facing any issues in their personal lives that can’t be aired, they take aim at people on social media.
However, I try not to worry about such comments and focus on my work.
Al Jazeera: Have there been instances where you’ve felt the need to quit social media and, if it comes down to it, would you be able to go off it?
Chopra: Of course. I can quit social media in a heartbeat if I want to. I never feel obligated to maintain a presence.
I am there to share my journey, promote the sport and create a pathway for other athletes from my country.
I want to show what goes behind becoming an international athlete.
I am not an influencer, I am an athlete. Javelin is my career, not social media. I can quit social media very easily.
Al Jazeera: You and Arshad Nadeem have flipped the script on a mostly European-centric sport by winning back-to-back Olympic medals in javelin, but will this success translate into the growth of track and field sports in the South Asian region?
Chopra: Honestly, up until a few years ago I didn’t I see a great future for athletics in India and couldn’t find a way to take it to the masses.
Now, however, I am beginning to see a change. For instance, for the first time, four Indian athletes are part of the Doha Diamond League meet this year and that’s a great sign. I’m ecstatic. It means people are sitting up and taking notice.
Javelin has slowly become a global event and is not restricted to European athletes any more.
My competition, the Neeraj Chopra Classic, is a step in the same direction. I want to use it as a platform to showcase the sport to Indian masses and help it grow.
Al Jazeera: The Doha Diamond League is where your season is about to get under way. You have an Olympic silver medal under your belt, but your World Athletics Championship title will be on the line this year. How do you feel about 2025?
Chopra: I’m ready and excited to get things going. I have a new coach, former Olympic gold medallist Jan Zelezny, who has helped me make minor changes to my routine.
It took some time to adjust to the changes but I feel great. I have been troubled by some groin issues but it’s all in the past now.
I can’t wait to start the new season.
Al Jazeera: Your fans have been willing you on to break the 90-metre barrier for some time now. Does that pressure get to you and do you think this will be the year to surpass 90m?
Chopra: I feel reinvigorated and am in great shape physically.
In addition to the physical aspect, Zelezny has also passed on tips that help me deal with the mental part of being an athlete. It helps keeps the pressure at bay.
I have been training and performing consistently, which forms the basis of achieving the best results on the field. No one can predict what will happen on the day of the competition but I am always looking to go beyond my previous best.
Several javelin athletes have thrown their personal best in Doha and I aim to do the same on Friday.
