CHENNAI: WHENEVER India take part in a multidisciplinary competition like the Commonwealth Games or the Asian Games, the first name that comes to people’s mind is ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. And with reason. With him consistently bagging medals in said events as well as in the Olympics, all hopes rest on him for a medal.
However, in the lead-up to this edition of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, the double-Olympic medallist has pulled out due to injury. While that would dent India's medal hopes, it is not the end of the world.
Rohit Yadav, for one, has been closing in on the 88m mark as he bettered his personal best to 87.68m at the World Athletics Continental meet in Bhubaneswar in August. Yash Vir Singh, battling tough conditions in Glasgow CWG in July, got himself a bronze with a personal best of 85.41m.
These two have participated in most of the events outside India in the presence of Neeraj. Now, the duo has an opportunity to make a statement. Rohit, for one, believes so. He is more than ready to make his mark, especially after his debacle in Glasgow, where he could not breach the 80m mark. “We will fight for a medal. Even if Neeraj is not there, we will try to get a medal. It is true that all hopes lie on him to get a medal. But this time, it is our turn to do so,” Rohit said in an interaction facilitated by JSW’s Inspire Institute of Sport on Wednesday, a day before the Indian Athletics Series finals.
“I don’t see Neeraj’s absence as pressure. Sure, it is sad that he is injured, but it is all about going there and doing my best,” he added.
It is in such high-profile international events that throwers make their mark. Both Chopra (2018) and Yash Vir (2026) rose to fame after their performances in the Commonwealth Games. While Rohit might have that on the back of his mind, the priority for him is to keep competing at the international level to gain consistency.
"Like Neeraj does, we try to get that one big throw everywhere we go. I got one 87 metre. If not for that, I would at least try to get two 85m+ throws. For that, I need to take part in more international events like the Diamond League. I am throwing well, but I feel I need more experience to get the confidence. The more I participate, the more confident I am,” he said.
And as the opening day of the quadrennial bash approaches, Rohit’s excitement grows. In the final domestic event before Asiad, he returned with a subdued performance of 81.10m, seemingly saving his best for Asiad.