Neeraj Chopra Classic will get bigger and better says the two-time olympic medallist, who will be seen in the twin roles of organiser & participantBENGALURU: The countdown to the Neeraj Chopra Classic, a World Athletics Continental Tour gold event, is nearing its end and the stage is getting finishing touches for the spectacle, which will see the world’s top javelin throwers compete for the top prize here on Saturday.Neeraj Chopra, who is here in a dual role as a competitor and organiser of the event, was at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Thursday evening. He addressed the media before hitting the track with fellow world beaters, including Germany’s Thomas Rohler, to do a few laps on track as part of his training routine monitored by coach Jan Zelezny.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!On his twin roles, Chopra said: The toughest part of organising the event is that you get very little time to train. I have to arrange everything, and it’s going well.”
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“I’ve witnessed the passion for sports among the people of Karnataka, which is why we chose to hold the meet here. I want parents to bring their children to the event so athletics can grow in stature. In the future, we will add more events to this meet. We want to make this meet bigger so that our athletes, who are doing well on the global stage, will get an opportunity to compete with the top international athletes in India,” the two-time Olympic medallist added.Bengaluru DaysRecalling his training camps in Bengaluru as a young athlete, Chopra, who won the SAF Games gold in Guwahati before claiming the World U-20 gold in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in 2016, said he cherishes those memories.“I have trained at the SAI South Centre here for 5-6 months in 2016-17. In those days, we roamed around the city visiting malls, MG Road, etc. We had a lot of fun, and I have great memories from those days. It’s a great city with lovely weather and friendly people.”On his maiden foray at the venue, the 27-year-old stated, “This is the first time that I’m competing in Bengaluru and that too in an international event. I’m very happy with my preparation and I’m looking forward to Saturday.”Urging the city’s sport enthusiasts to make the event a success, the world champion said, “Although I’m far from home, with the kind of support I’ve received, I feel at home here. It’s the first time such an event is happening in India. I invite all sports lovers in Bengaluru to come and support the event. The best athletes from around the world are here, and you will enjoy it,” Chopra said.Neeraj also gave a vote of thanks to the state government for their support.“Initially, we planned the event in Haryana, but there were some technical problems, including that of lighting. Then we spoke to the Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah sir, through Govindraj sir and everyone here was very helpful. From the very first call, there was a positive response, and I was promised all support. I have visited the stadium, and they have changed the chairs…it’s getting ready,” Neeraj said in the presence of Karnataka Olympic Association president K Govindaraj and other top government officials.
