If I don't win medals in future, people will start criticising: Neeraj Chopra

There’s a famous phrase often used for sportspersons: Form is temporary but class is permanent.

- Sabi.Hussain

New Delhi: Tweak it a bit and you will get a fair idea about the state of mind of India’s ‘golden boy’ Neeraj Chopra’s state of mind. For the reigning Olympics, CWG, and Asian Games champion, adulation and appreciation are ‘temporary’ but the ever-improving performances and medals are ‘permanent’. To put it in his own words, Neeraj has embarked on a sporting journey to become the country’s greatest-ever Olympic athlete. He is already one of the greatest.

“Agar aage medal nahi aaya, to yehi log neeche maarenge deke (If the medal doesn’t come in future, the same people will bring you down and criticize),” Neeraj quipped. The ace javelin thrower, who will receive his Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award from President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Saturday, added: “This looks strange sometimes that even if I put all my hard work and efforts and the medal doesn’t come, then the same set of people (who are praising you now) will start saying that ‘he lost focus and got into other (off-field) things.”