Neeraj Chopra Says India Can't Be Satisfied With One Gold As He Misses Tournament Due To "Incessant Number Of Functions"

Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra said India as a country can't be satisfied with just one gold medal as he lamented missing the Diamond League competition due to a lack of training as a result of an "incessant number of functions" he had to attend after returning from the Tokyo Olympics. Neeraj, India's first Olympic medallist in athletics, won the men's javelin throw final at the Tokyo Games with a best attempt of 87.58m. The achievement invited mass adulation and successive felicitation ceremonies for the athlete upon his return to India and consequently, his training "stopped completely".

"Aisa nahin hona chahiye ki ab medal aa gaya toh sab abhi kar do, aur phir ek mahiney baad sab shaant ho jao (It shouldn't be that we celebrate the medal for a few days after it's come and then everybody forgets about it)," Neeraj told The Times of India in an interview.

"The attention is indeed important, but there's a Diamond League at the end of the month. I had planned to participate in it, but my training stopped completely once I returned from the Olympic Games because of the incessant number of functions.

"This is why I feel my fitness is not up there now. I can't compete properly. That's why I have to skip the event. I had planned to compete in at least two-three events."

Neeraj added: "These things need to change in Indian sport. All other Olympic champions are participating in Diamond Leagues. Their season is continuing. 

"We can't be satisfied with one gold medal. We need to think at a global level. We need to continuously perform at global events like the Diamond Leagues."