"Have to find in myself what I can do": Neeraj Chopra after winning gold at Asian Games
After clinching a gold medal at the 19th Asian Games, Neeraj believes he hasn't reached his full potential
Neeraj Chopra (Photo: Twitter)
PANIPAT: Olympics and Asian Games gold medallist Neeraj Chopra on Saturday admitted that he really wanted to breach the 90m mark this season and he has to find his full potential.
After clinching a gold medal at the 19th Asian Games, Neeraj believes he hasn't reached his full potential and, as he prepares for the 2024 Paris Olympics, has set his eyes on not only breaking the 90-meter barrier but also establishing it as the new standard.
"This season, somewhere in terms of distance, I felt slightly bad, I had injuries through the season. I wanted to end the 90m question this season, sorry I was not able to," Neeraj said during a virtual interaction.
"So I have to find in myself what I can do, what mindset I can make that I can achieve my potential because I feel I am still a lot away from that," he added. The athlete said that his goal going into the Paris Olympics was to remain injury-free.
"Injuries affect technique and affect concentration. The goal will be to remain injury-free this season. I am happy that I pushed myself and ended with a season-best effort. But it also made me wonder if I were fit and 100 per cent in my technique then how long could I have thrown," Neeraj said.
"So I have to find in myself what I can do, what mindset I can make that I can achieve my potential because I feel I am still a lot away from that.," he added.
Neeraj said the most fulfilling aspect of this season was winning the World Championships title and successfully defending his Asian Games gold medal while being injured. I am happy I won the world champion title and defended my Asian Games gold, so the season was really good. But somewhere about distance, I felt I could have gone further," Neeraj said.
"We have improved a lot and athletes from other countries are feeling that India has arrived. On me personally, I have the World Championship, silver in Diamond League and now a gold in the Asian Games, I am very happy," Neeraj further added.