Glad for Neeraj, equally glad for Nadeem, he’s additionally our youngster, says Neeraj Chopra’s mom

Saroj Devi, mom of athlete Neeraj Chopra, speaks to PTI after his son gained Silver medal within the Javelin throw on the Paris Olympic, in Khandra village of Panipat district, on August 9, 2024.
| Picture Credit score: PTI

Elated at her son’s silver medal, Neeraj Chopra’s mom Saroj Devi additionally expressed happiness for Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who broke the Olympic document to beat the Indian defending champion in Paris, saying that the latter can be like her “youngster”.

Chopra clinched the silver medal on the Paris Video games with a season’s greatest throw of 89.45m after Nadeem pulled off an Olympic record-breaking effort of 92.97m on Thursday evening.

With the silver win, Chopra grew to become solely the third Indian and the primary in track-and-field to win back-to-back particular person Olympic medals.

“We’re very pleased with the silver, the one who obtained gold can be our youngster and the one who obtained silver can be our youngster….all are athletes, all work exhausting,” Saroj advised PTI Movies in Khandra, Panipat, the place the household is predicated.

“Nadeem can be good, he performs nicely, there is no such thing as a distinction between Neeraj and Nadeem. We obtained gold and silver there is no such thing as a distinction for us,” she added within the interview given on Thursday evening.

Each Chopra nd Nadeem are good associates off the sphere regardless of being rivals on it.

‘Churma’ awaits Neeraj on homecoming

Chopra’s fondness for “desi khana” is well-documented and his household is planning to welcome the two-time Olympic medallist together with his favorite dish “Churma” “He did very well. We are going to welcome him with churma which is his favorite. I’m delighted, individuals are lighting firecrackers, we’re making ladoos,” Saroj added.

Chopra’s efficiency is creditable additionally due to the highly-competitive area wherein as many as seven athletes went past the 86m mark.

“We’re very glad. He produced his season’s greatest. All have been close to 88-89m so competitors was very robust. It is not about profitable a gold or silver, however about profitable a medal, and he did his greatest,” Chopra’s aunt Kamlesh mentioned.

Chopra is one among India’s most embellished athletes, having gained the gold at each match together with the Olympics, World Championships, Diamond League, Asian Video games and the Commonwealth Video games.

“After Tokyo there was no medal left apart from silver, that was additionally wanted so he obtained it,” Kamlesh mentioned.

She mentioned that the household had an inkling that Chopra was unlikely to win a gold after Nadeem’s monstrous throw.

“After Nadeem’s throw (92.97m) we had a sense (that he’ll win gold) however he’s additionally our son, we’re pleased with him.

“He is additionally Asia’s son. We do not differentiate between Nadeem and Neeraj. Each have gotten gold and silver and we’re very glad,” she added.