The Golden Arm to a Golden Future?
Sports always defines historic moments which end up defining the legacy of the sportsperson. Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps are two athletes who, in the modern era, have gone on define their legacy in the field of athletics and swimming. Usain Bolt holds 8 Olympic gold medals and is the holder of 100m world record. On the other hand, Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian with 28 medals under his name. While both are legendary individuals, there is a golden boy brewing up in India in the world of athletics. The name to remember is Neeraj Chopra. Recently on 28th August, Neeraj Chopra become a World Champion by claiming the gold medal in World Championship in Budapest in Javelin Throw. This success adds on top of his gold medals in Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Such stupendous success raises the hopes that India may have found its golden arm in the world of athletics. India, historically, has been on the fringes in athletics with minimal or 0 participation in world events. Neeraj Chopra’s success indicates exciting times for India as a sporting nation. This could still be very contentious as India still has a long way to go before it establishes itself against the likes of China, USA or even Great Britain. Neeraj Chopra’s consistent success is a good indicator of the future ahead only for himself but not for the nation. Abhinav Bindra had also paved the way for shooting superstars by winning gold at the Beijing Olympic in 2008, but no one after him has come close to replicating his success in shooting.
Does the golden arm not translate into a golden future for the country?
There are rigorous training processes which make an athlete a champion athlete and Neeraj Chopra is ticking all the right boxes. Whether all the athletes have access to these processes is a begging question. The key to success in athletics lies in certain factors which are totally under an athlete’s control.
1. Train outside India: India is a great place to train and there is no difference in the training facilities at top training centers in India. The main reason for people like Neeraj Chopra and Abhinav Bindra to succeed is their willingness to go the extra mile to adapt to the western world standards of training on top of their gifted skillset and adhere to a strict regimen. By training in the US, Neeraj Chopra has allowed himself to keep abreast with the latest techniques and the stronger personnel in Javelin throw domain.
2. Remove Dependency on SAI (Sports Authority of India): The Sports Authority of India is a highly incompetent sports body in India and any dependence on them is futile. Neeraj Chopra has never depended on SAI for his training and provisions. Golden future for India can be secured once competency comes into SAI officials.
3. Bootstrap your training: Your skillset can take you to many places but to maintain and hone the skills, the athlete needs investment. An athlete should try to bootstrap their training and seek investors who believe in you. Many athletes outside India follow a similar approach and Neeraj Chopra is no different. He bootstrapped his training along with help of Indian Army to reach where he is now. Indian business ecosystem needs to belief in people and start investing in the future superstars of India for a golden future.
4. Participate in as many competitions: Practice makes one perfect. Neeraj Chopra has not shied away from participating in as many tournaments as possible. This is a testament to his fitness as well. Indian athletes need to find ways to participate in as many competitions across the world to finetune their skills and learn from the best.
India does have a golden future, but there needs to be a conscious effort from the sporting authorities to translate the potential golden superstars into golden legends who will define the legacy of the nation as a sporting superpower in years to come. Neeraj Chopra is just one glimmer of hope to help define the future of Indian Sports.
