Neeraj Chopra Classic: Excited champion banks on Bengaluru's passion for sports
Neeraj Chopra
on Friday as he addressed a packed press gathering, assembled from around the country, in the morning here. By evening, he slipped into the organiser's role at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on the eve of the Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin competition.
"Everything is going on smoothly and I'm all excited to start the event on Saturday. I have come here twice or thrice in the past to watch matches of
Bengaluru FC
(at this stadium). I get very good support here because people in Bangalore have the passion for sports," Chopra said.
It was a moment to cherish for the young athletes, workers and volunteers who were giving the finishing touches to the stadium as India's champion athlete went around thanking dozens of women working at the stadium.
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Rising athlete Tanmaya Prasad was star-struck as Neeraj posed for a photograph with her. Tanmaya, who has enrolled herself as a volunteer for the meet, told TOI. "I told him that I'm also a javelin thrower and he encouraged me." The first-year BBA student from St Joseph's College of Commerce, added: "A lot of my friends are coming to watch the meet, and my entire training group will be there."
Asked about the interest shown by the private sector in sports, Neeraj said: "Support for sports from corporates is improving.
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Now, we have JSW, Reliance and other individual sponsors for athletes. Athletes are getting a chance to go abroad and compete. It was not like this before. Even the Central govt's TOP policy is helping athletes a lot."
The meet is a dream come true for Neeraj who now believes he has given something back to the sport and the country. "We need more grounds and stadiums as NIS coaches have to go to the villages and hunt for talent. In Europe, when I fly, I get to see 50 stadiums (football, athletics etc) within a span of 10-15 mins. But in India, we'd need to travel from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to see that many stadiums. I didn't have a stadium when I grew up, so I had to go to Panipat to train," the world champion recalled.
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