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Journalism of Courage
Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra on Sunday sought to downplay his coach Uwe Hohn’s remarks about the lack of proper diet and nonavailability of equipment are hampering training for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Speaking to news agency ANI, the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medallist said it takes times for things to happen in a “huge country”.
“Our coach is from Germany, the system there is different. Ours is a huge country, things can’t happen in a jiffy,” Chopra said.
In a detailed email to The Sunday Express, Chopra’s coach Uwe Hown said that delay in procuring equipment, insufficient support staff, poor diet, and unimaginative planning are hampering the training of javelin thrower. “Because of the very bad support of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), we need help from people or companies who like to help ASAP because with every week, bit by bit, we lose a chance to reach our high goals,”
He further added that the sooner the equipment will be provided to them, the better it will be for the athletes. “Our coach said so because there have been delays due to holidays. Sooner it happens the better. We’ll be able to focus on our training,” he said.
Chopra had a great year in 2018 when he struck gold in both CWG and Asian Games, becoming the first javelin thrower from India to do so.
With the Olympics just two years away, the 20-year-old athlete is being viewed as a serious Olympic medal contender and him reaching surpassing the 88m-mark.
