Balancing sports and education is a major challenge in India. A few people are good at both, but most people are forced to sacrifice one for the other. In an interview with Rarangtop newspaper on Sunday, ace Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra opined that it is possible to balance both effectively with proper management.
In this country of more than 1.4 billion people, achieving academic success and building a stable career is considered more lucrative than pursuing a career in sports. There’s a reason for this, because to make a mark in any sport, you need to be part of the right ecosystem to perform well, along with dedication and hard work.
“If we talk about studies and sports, I think both can be managed equally,” Neeraj Chopra told Lalantop. “The biggest example is athletes in the United States.
“At the Olympics, the American team is made up primarily of university student-athletes and has won more medals than any other team. I think schools and universities in India should embrace the same thing. If we integrate, sports will get a big boost in India,” added the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist.
He said, “Cricketers are worshiped like gods by Indians.However, as far as sports other than cricket are concerned, India still lags far behind compared to other Asian and European countries. However, things have changed for the better in the last 10 years.
India has come a long way by winning 13 medals out of a total of 13 Olympic medals from 2000 to 2016 (7 in Tokyo 2020 and 6 in Paris 2024) . The figure in Paris could have been higher had India not endured six fourth-place finishes.
Why is sports important?
According to Chopra, sports are not just about winning medals at the Olympics. It’s more than that. “Playing sports doesn’t just mean participating in the Olympics and winning medals.”
The Haryana boy, who won a silver medal at last year’s Paris Olympics, said, “Now the situation has changed in our country. Even with the coronavirus, we have learned that we need to play sports to maintain physical strength and boost our immune system.” He told me.”
After ending his long-standing relationship with Dr. Klaus Bartoniets, Chopra has appointed javelin throwing legend Jan Zelezny as his new coach. Zelezny, a three-time Olympian and world champion, also holds the world record with a throw of 98.48 meters.
