Panipat (Haryana): When it comes to sportspersons, Haryana's name is taken with pride. Be it the athletes or the boxers from Bhiwani. Earlier, the northern state was known for wrestling and boxing. Now, the players from the state, are creating history in other sports. An example of this is star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, the regaining Olympic champion.
Following the success of Neeraj Chopra, who in the wee hours of Monday, also clinched the World Athletics Championship gold medal and became the first Indian to achieve the feat, there has been a spurt in kids taking up the Olympic sport.
Javelin's craze on the rise: Ever since Neeraj Chopra won the coveted gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the number of players practicing Javelin has increased rapidly in Haryana. Most of the javelin throw players are coming from the Panipat district. Not only the youth, but the elderly also have become addicted to javelin throw. Panipat's 80-year-old grandmother Darshana Devi has won the gold medal in the World Master Athlete Championship in javelin throw.
Darshana Devi practices twice daily at a local stadium - once in the morning and one evening. The stadium where Neeraj Chopra practiced, is now full of budding athletes. There are some players, who were earlier playing cricket, wrestling, and boxing, but after seeing Neeraj Chopra's success, they have taken up javelin throw.
25-year-old Neeraj Chopra, who rose to fame after being a junior world champion, is a resident of Khandra village in the Panipat district. He started practicing the sport at the Shivaji Stadium here. Since Neeraj Chopra's historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, over 70 youths of Khandra village alone have taken up the Olympic sport. Those taking up the sport in other districts of Haryana have also increased.
Romit, a player practicing at the Shivaji Stadium, said he earlier had taken up different sports. "Ever since Neeraj Chopra's Olympic gold medal, I changed my sport and started practicing javelin throw. Good coaches are easily available for javelin throw in Panipat. Good facilities are also being given to them by the government. This is helping them a lot," he added.
Jitendra Jaglan, who was Neeraj's fitness coach, said that it takes a lot of hard work to become a good athlete. "If the child takes up the sport at the age of 10, then it is better. If flexibility and technique come into a player's body from a young age, then he can perform better. Very few people knew about the javelin throw before the Tokyo Olympics. Today every child is dreaming of becoming a Neeraj Chopra. Several children between the age group of 10 to 14 years have taken up the sport," added Jaglan.
Also read: Exclusive: Neeraj Chopra's confidence key factor in his wins, says coach Kashinath Naik
