
Javelin thrower, Taiwan Athletics Open gold medallist Rohit Yadav: Neeraj bhai told me, focus on dreams not results
Rohit adds that an athlete's success isn't just measured by a medal tally but also by the legacy they leave. That's exactly why he looks up to Olympian Neeraj Chopra. 'I first met Neeraj bhai in 2019 and every interaction with him since has been a motivator for me to get better,' he shares. 'His words to me — 'Focus on your dreams, not the results' — stayed with me. Unki consistency mujhe inspire karti hai and main bhi wahi consistency ke saath aage badhna chahta hoon,' he continues.
A post shared by Rohit Yadav Javelin (@rohit________yadav)
The javelin champ also reveals that his father Sabhajeet Yadav has been a source of inspiration. 'From childhood till now, I have been very close to my father. Woh sports ke liye passionate hain, aur unko hi dekhkar maine khelna shuru kara — talking with him helps me focus better. Before leaving for the competition, I discussed my mindset with him, and that helped me get in the right headspace,' he adds.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
7 hours ago
- The Hindu
Toor takes gold, Damneet impresses on day two of the Indian Open
National record holder and two-time Asian Games champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor expectedly took the shot put gold on the second and final day of the Indian Open athletics in Sangrur on Monday. Toor, one of the very few prominent names to turn up for the competition, managed a best throw of 19.51m in his fourth competition of the season. Toor, who is consistently battling injuries, is yet to cross 20m this season, his best being 19.74m at the National Games. In fact, he has not breached the mark since the 2024 Federation Cup in May, but was still good enough for the rest of the field. Also impressive was the 25-year-old Damneet Singh, winning the hammer throw with a personal best of 69.87m – just shy of the 2016 National record of 70.73m by Neeraj Kumar. Damneet, a silver medallist at the 2017 World under-18 championships and 2018 Asian under-20 championships, improved on his own previous best of 68.30m at the Federation Cup earlier this year. Mohd. Lazan VK also set a new personal best of 14.08 seconds to win the 110m hurdles. Among the women, JSW trainee Pranjali Patil was the only one to dip under 14 seconds to win the 100m hurdles in 13.66s while Niharika Vashisht of Punjab took the triple jump gold with 13.17m. Asian Games bronze medallist Priti Lamba took the 3000m steeplechase gold in 10:05.60. The results (day two, winners only): Men: 800m: Vinod Kumar Banot (Tel, 1:50.69); 110mH: Mohd. Lazan VK (Ker, 14.08s); 3000 SC: Sharukh Khan (UP, 8:46.21); Triple jump: Karthik Unnikrishnan (Air Force, 16.11m); Hammer throw: Damneet Singh (Rel, 69.87m); Shot put: Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Pun, 19.51m). Women: 800m: Priscilla Daniel (NCOE, 2:08.77); 110mH: Pranjali Patil (JSW, 13.66s); 10,000m: Soniya (Utk, 37:47.51); 3000 SC: Priti Lamba (NCOE, 10:05.60); Triple jump: Niharika Vashisht (Pun, 13.17m); Hammer throw: Manpreet Kaur (CISF, 59.79m); Shot put: Vidhi (UP, 15.38m).


News18
15 hours ago
- News18
Sajan Prakash finishes 43rd in 200m freestyle at swimming Worlds
Singapore, Jul 28 (PTI) Seasoned Indian swimmer Sajan Prakash failed to make the semifinals of the men's 200m freestyle event at the World Aquatics Championships here on Monday. The 31-year-old butterfly specialist, clocked 1:51.57sec to finish fourth in his heat and 43rd overall. The top 16 swimmers advanced to the semifinals. Romania's David Popovici went fastest in the heats, clocking 1:45.43s while Italy's Carlos D'Ambrosio (1:46.67s) was the last swimmer to make the cut for the semifinals. Prakash, a two-time Olympian, will next be in action in the 200m butterfly event on Tuesday. PTI APA PM APA PM PM Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
How gymnast Pranati battles injuries to find success
New Delhi: Pranati Nayak breaks into a big smile at the mention of the Asian Championships. Last month in the South Korean city of Jecheon, the seasoned Indian gymnast earned a well-deserved women's vault bronze, her third in the continental event after Ulaanbaatar 2019 and Doha 2022. In March, she had also clinched the same metal at the World Cup in Antalya. Pranati Nayak earned a women's vault bronze at the Asian Championships at Jecheon, South Korea last month. (Getty Images) But all this success has come at a cost. In a sport where athletes start and retire pretty early, Pranati continues to deliver at well over 30, which means her recovery takes time, especially in recent times as her body is afflicted with multiple injuries. 'I have injuries in my right elbow and both the ankles. I have a tennis elbow because of which it pains a lot. Despite being right-handed, I don't do anything with my right hand. From filling bottles to drinking water, I do everything with my left hand. I use my right hand only during training and give it rest for the rest of the time,' Pranati told HT over a video call from Bhubaneswar. 'I have had chronic pain in my right ankle for over two years now. I regularly do rehab but as soon as I participate in a competition, the load and consequently the pain increases. After competition, I take a week's rest. Then I start again. This is how I manage my competitions and training.' It has become a norm for Pranati to meet doctors, physios and undergo scans on a regular basis. Unlike her younger days, the diminutive gymnast now takes at least a week to recover after a competition. It is understandable given the load her ankles take. Pranati, who mainly attempts the 720 Tsukahara vault these days, makes 15 landings even before competition starts. The number can go up if the landings are not perfect. Also, these landings are on hard mats as they are done on competition podiums unlike in training where she lands in a mud pit. 'We mostly train in the pit. That way, we can save our feet and ankles. It's a softer landing, meaning we can take more repetitions. The landing mat is very hard. My ankle swells up each time after competition. It also happens when I travel. When I sit, my feet don't reach the floor. It just hangs in the air. That also leads to swelling,' said the Olympian, who is only 4 feet and 9 inches tall. But Pranati has taken injuries in her stride and accepted the fact that her body will not get younger and that she has to manage it. Unlike back in the day when a massage, steam or ice bath would decrease the pain, she is coping with how to handle her pain. 'I have to move forward with this. I am used to it now. My only concern is how to recover and train well. For that I have to maintain my weight, make sure there are no additional injuries,' said the gymnast from Bengal. Having clinched the bronze at the Asian Championships, Pranati is eyeing further glory as she will next take part in the FIG World Challenge Cup in Paris and Szombathely (both in September) followed by the Jakarta World Championships in October. Next year, the World Cup series starts in February as she has firmly set her target at the Commonwealth Games followed by the Asian Games. While Indian gymnasts have won multiple medals at the Asian Championships, they have not been able to replicate the success at the Asian Games where India have won only one medal till date — Ashish Kumar's bronze in men's floor exercise in Guangzhou 2010. If she qualifies, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will be her fourth Asian Games. 'If we can win a medal in Asian Championships, we can also at Asian Games. The same gymnasts participate in both. There is no difference. If I give my best, there can be a good chance of winning a medal. I have to get more points. This is my goal,' said Pranati, who last month was added to the sports ministry's Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) scheme.