Neeraj grew to become India’s second particular person Olympic gold medalist, following Abhinav Bindra’s 2008 Beijing Video games victory, when he secured the highest honors with a throw of 87.58m on the Tokyo Olympics.
This achievement made him the primary Indian to win an Olympic athletics gold and the primary athletics medallist in Summer time Video games since independence.
Can India’s golden boy Neeraj defend his males’s javelin title this time?
India’s lengthy jumper Murali Sreeshankar, an Asian Video games silver medalist, is assured that Neeraj will excel in Paris.
“Neeraj is a robust medal contender. Not only a medal contender, he’s going to defend his Olympic title,” Sreeshankar informed TimesofIndia.com in an interview.
“There have been actually good performances from different athletes like Avinash Sable, the relay group, lengthy jumpers, and we will count on a very good shock from the triple soar as effectively. It’s not a sure-shot shock, but when issues go effectively, these occasions may assist us get some good surprises from Paris,” stated Sreeshankar, an Olympics knowledgeable with JioCinema & Sports18.
Sreeshankar certified for the Paris Olympics by leaping 8.37m to win a silver medal on the 2023 Asian Athletic Championships, however a knee harm dominated him out of the worldwide occasion.
India received seven medals in Tokyo—one every in athletics, badminton, boxing, hockey, and weightlifting, and two in wrestling.
Will India surpass their Tokyo file of seven medals this time?
Sreeshankar is assured that India will obtain a double-digit tally this time round.
“That’s what we’re all eagerly trying ahead to. The best way the marketing campaign has begun for India, I’m positive that we might positively count on a double-digit tally. Capturing has been doing extremely effectively, with Manu beginning off the marketing campaign, Swapnil successful one other medal in taking pictures, and Arjun coming agonizingly near a medal,” Sreeshankar informed TimesofIndia.com.
“This may give good confidence to India’s shooters and archers. These disciplines ought to present us with a few medals to attain that double-digit mark. It’s not simply taking pictures and archery we will depend on; there are different vital occasions developing for us. In hockey, we need to change the colour of the medal. A lot of thrilling occasions are developing. Fingers crossed that with all of the prayers of Indian supporters, the group’s efficiency can be actually good for us,” he stated.
