Make track and field events more attractive and marketable, says Neeraj Chopra
The Hindu
Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra emphasised on making track and field athletics events more attractive and marketable for Indian fans.
Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on November 29 emphasised on making track and field athletics events more attractive and marketable for Indian fans.
The Tokyo Olympics gold medallist, with which he became the first Indian to stand on the podium in track and field events at the sporting showpiece, shared his thoughts on what ails this discipline of athletics in the country.
"First of all, I feel that the international competitions where we compete such as the Diamond League, Continental Tours, and World Athletics Championships, should be broadcast in India.
"Currently, we only get to watch the highlights though people want to watch the athletics, they stay up till 1-2 am in the night, and wait for the athlete to play but they face disappointment after not being able to watch," Chopra said.
He was addressing a gathering at the RCB Innovation Lab's Leaders Meet India.
Broadcasting athletics events on TV will enable more people to start watching, to understand, and increase the awareness about the competitions that the Indians compete in, Chopra said.
RCB Innovation Lab is an initiative that brings together people from the international sporting world to "create a platform where influential dialogues and the exchange of innovative ideas become centre stage".
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.