Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem competed in men's javelin throw final© X (Twitter)
The Paris Olympics 2024 journey saw the Indian contingent incur another unfulfilling moment as Neeraj Chopra had to settle for a silver medal in the men's javelin throw final, with Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem fetching gold, courtesy of his Olympics-record-breaking throw. While athletes from all across the globe were competing in the men's javelin throw final, the contest was mostly pitted as an India vs Pakistan clash, with Neeraj and Arshad vying against each other for the top podium spot. However, Neeraj's family isn't happy seeing people painting such a picture.
In a chat with NDTV, Neeraj's mother, father and aunt played down the 'India vs Pakistan' rivalry in the men's javelin throw final, saying they too pray for Arshad whenever he competes in global events, just like they do for their own son.
"I wasn't too excited (for the final), just saw that kids were playing. Whether we get gold or silver doesn't matter, they are all the same. But, the kids did very well," Neeraj's mother said.
"I always tell people to move beyond the India vs Pakistan perspective. When you compete at the world level, it's about the competition. Neeraj clarified to us that there's no rivalry with Nadeem, even we pray for him whenever he plays. We want to send greetings to Nadeem's parents through your channel. We hope for the best for him," Neeraj's aunt asserted.
Neeraj's father also echoed similar sentiments, saying it was Arshad's hard work and luck which rewarded him with the gold medal.
"Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem is also an excellent player. The hard work he put into his game, he reaped its reward in the Paris Olympic Games. We can't call it an India vs Pakistan match, it was a competition of the entire world. Anyone could've gone higher. Today, it was Nadeem's day. Luck and hard work both go hand-in-hand. Results are combinations of both," Neeraj's father said.
Parents' sacrifice and the need for local academies:
Neeraj's family members admitted that they don't get to meet him often as he usually has a packed schedule. His father, however, took a selfless stance, saying if Neeraj is to achieve greater heights, their sacrifices would be needed.
"As parents, we have to sacrifice, we can't expect more time from him as he has his own things to take care of. Unless we leave him alone with his responsibilities, we can't expect him to excel," he added, explaining the sacrifices Neeraj's family has made to see him climb the ladders of success.
Neeraj's aunt requested the government and authorities to set up local academies that could help children hone their talent and the need to go farther from home reduces.
"We want to tell the authorities to set up academies in and around Panipat. Neeraj moved to Panchkula when he first started training, then Patiala. Since he became an international sportsperson, he has been competing overseas. We had to go to the airport to meet him recently, as he has quite a busy schedule," she said, urging the authorities.