NEW DELHI: Indian star athlete
Neeraj Chopra
has voiced his astonishment at the struggles faced by his rival, Pakistan's ace javelin exponent
Arshad Nadeem
, in acquiring a new javelin despite his remarkable achievements in the world of athletics.
Nadeem, who clinched the gold medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games with a staggering 90.18m throw in Birmingham, and secured bronze at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, has expressed frustration over his inability to obtain an international-standard javelin.
Chopra, the reigning Olympic and world champion, emphasized the significance of proper equipment for athletes aiming to excel on the global stage. "It is hard to believe that he has been struggling to get a new javelin. Given his credentials, this should not be a big issue at all," Chopra stated in an interview with SAI Media.
Nadeem recently highlighted his plight, stating, "When I started off in 2015, competing in international events I got this javelin … for an international athlete aiming to win a medal in the Olympic Games, you need proper equipment and training facilities."
Chopra, acknowledging the financial aspect, suggested that Nadeem could leverage his stature in the sport for endorsements. Additionally, he urged the Pakistani government to provide support to Nadeem. "But having said that, his government can look at Arshad's (Nadeem) need and support him just like how my government is doing so. Additionally, Arshad (Nadeem) is a top javelin thrower and I believe that the javelin makers will be more than happy to sponsor him and provide what he wants. This is a piece of advice from my side," added Chopra.
Nadeem, who underwent an elbow operation in the UK in December 2022 and later underwent knee surgery, has faced setbacks in recent years. His absence from the Hangzhou Asian Games last year allowed Chopra to secure the gold.
(Inputs from PTI)
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