Lack Of Time For Training The Biggest Obstacle, Says Neeraj Chopra Ahead Of NC Classic

Last Updated:July 03, 2025, 21:13 IST

Neeraj Chopra, double Olympic medallist, balances competition and organization for the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru, aiming to give Indian athletes a global platform.

Neeraj Chopra. (Picture Credit: AFP)

Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra admitted on Thursday that juggling the dual roles of competing and organizing has been his biggest challenge ahead of the upcoming Neeraj Chopra Classic—an international javelin competition bearing his name.

Scheduled to be held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, the high-profile event features a world-class lineup. Chopra, fresh off consecutive victories in Paris and Ostrava, is navigating both logistical demands and his own athletic preparation.

Chopra’s recent competitions include the Paris Diamond League on June 20 and the Ostrava Golden Spike on June 24—both of which he won. However, the packed schedule has left little time for focused training.

“The toughest part is the training. We get very little time to train," Chopra said at a felicitation ceremony hosted by the Karnataka Olympic Association.

“I competed in Paris and Ostrava and then travelled to Bengaluru, so I will try my level best. We also have to arrange everything together," he added, highlighting the complexity of organizing an international event while staying in peak form.

Creating Opportunities for Indian Athletes

Chopra emphasized that the Neeraj Chopra Classic is designed not only to promote elite competition but also to offer Indian athletes a platform to test themselves against the world’s best.

“We also have to talk to all the athletes about how to make it better. But everything is going well. We will handle this and also compete. But the biggest goal is to make it (the event) bigger," said the reigning world champion, who also met with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier in the day.

“As I said, we are going to add more events. So our Indian athletes who do well at the global level, will get a chance in India to compete among other good athletes. So, we intend to increase this event further," he added.

(with PTI inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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