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Ok, guys you can stop hoping for a Gold Medal in javelin in the next Olympics. Our champ has just discovered better rewards than an Olympic Gold in Javelin throwing.
Too much focus was going to Neeraj IMO, it's not the player alone but the sports infra machine that churns out player after player.
We should at least have 2 athletes as backup that is given the same training as primary ones.
It's a nation of 1.5 billion and finding a physical profile similar to that of even better should be possible. We have to start early since Neeraj was found when his father pushed him into Gymnaisum.
Tbh we spent a lot on him because there is no proper TOT for churning out champions locally. Two great coach and German Bio Mechanist is what it took to get the gold.
 
Too much focus was going to Neeraj IMO, it's not the player alone but the sports infra machine that churns out player after player.
We should at least have 2 athletes as backup that is given the same training as primary ones.
It's a nation of 1.5 billion and finding a physical profile similar to that of even better should be possible. We have to start early since Neeraj was found when his father pushed him into Gymnaisum.

There was a backup - Kishore Jena (the guy who threw 87+ at Hangzhou Asiad). But he didn't perform to his potential that fateful day.

We have close to 10 80+ throwers right now - not even the Germans have this much depth (exact quote of a Peruvian coach, btw). In due course of time some of them will progress to ~85 m and beyond.

Tbh we spent a lot on him because there is no proper TOT for churning out champions locally. Two great coach and German Bio Mechanist is what it took to get the gold.

Two of the all time greats are coaching Indian throwers right now;



Chopra also had an elite Australian coach (Garry Calvert) when he was still a teenager and benefitted from it. Makarov has been appointed to replicate that.

Also, one weird thing about javelin throwers is that they tend to be very inconsistent (Chopra is a notable exception) because it is a physically draining sport and causes frequent injuries. The great Johannes Vetter is ending his career without an Olympic medal. Germany had three 90+ m throwers back in 2019 but returned empty handed from Tokyo and Paris (all three of them suffered career threatening injuries). So having one or two back-ups won't always suffice.
 
There was a backup - Kishore Jena (the guy who threw 87+ at Hangzhou Asiad). But he didn't perform to his potential that fateful day.

The fact that 87+ meter was thrown even discounting the wind assist with his height and frame is great news. We just need some more experiment to repeat the same I am sure it can be replicated .

Jena is 5.8 apparently.
We have close to 10 80+ throwers right now - not even the Germans have this much depth (exact quote of a Peruvian coach, btw). In due course of time some of them will progress to ~85 m and beyond.

I think we both mean good. Having foreign coaches is good but we need lots of desi coach that can train and experiment with the players. I am in favour of creating a local support infrastructure that can churn out 80 to 85 m throwers on their own. I am not discounting the fact that maybe the Indian coaches are well adept but there is always a room for improvement. Besides there are other things like sports mechanists, doctors and nutritionist that are needed for the squad.


The great Johannes Vetter is ending his career without an Olympic medal. Germany had three 90+ m throwers back in 2019 but returned empty handed from Tokyo and Paris (all three of them suffered career threatening injuries). So having one or two back-ups won't always suffice.
I am totally okay with this fact but having a higher standard for domestic javelin competition may have additionally benefit of churning out a dozen more Neeraj Chopra.
We do not want a virat Kohli like situation where one player has all the focus and expectation.
 
The fact that 87+ meter was thrown even discounting the wind assist with his height and frame is great news. We just need some more experiment to repeat the same I am sure it can be replicated .

Jena is 5.8 apparently.

Jena is technically very sound. More than makes up for his relatively short stature. He is also entirely taught by Indian coaches.

I think we both mean good. Having foreign coaches is good but we need lots of desi coach that can train and experiment with the players. I am in favour of creating a local support infrastructure that can churn out 80 to 85 m throwers on their own. I am not discounting the fact that maybe the Indian coaches are well adept but there is always a room for improvement. Besides there are other things like sports mechanists, doctors and nutritionist that are needed for the squad.

What you are suggesting is already being done tho. The Fed ran a series of workshops to train Indian javelin coaches under the supervision of Klauz, Uwe Hohn and Calvert, among others and that shows up in the results (the reason why we have so many talents in javelin and para javelin). Compared to the absolute nincompoops who manage track disciplines (where Indian timings are among the worst in the world - especially in the shorter distances) these Indian coaches are actually very good.

It is kind of a paradox tbh. We are supposed to be good at track given our population. But it is the more technically challenging and resource guzzling field events (javelin, long jump, triple jump, shot put etc) where Indian marks are actually world class.

I am totally okay with this fact but having a higher standard for domestic javelin competition may have additionally benefit of churning out a dozen more Neeraj Chopra.
We do not want a virat Kohli like situation where one player has all the focus and expectation.

Unrelated but keep an eye on this guy - genetically gifted, built like a tank and a power thrower (unlike Neeraj);


It is always difficult to predict things in sports but Michael Mussulmam (a Peruvian coach involved with Indian throwers) expects him to get close to or surpass 90 m soon.
 

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