Neeraj Chopra lives in the moment and is remarkably consistent, says AFI chief Adille Sumariwalla

Neeraj Chopra's consistency and focus make him a standout javelin thrower, aiming for gold at Paris Olympics.

Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra's propensity to live in the moment and the remarkable consistency in his throws make him stand out among some of the best javelin exponents in the world, feels Athletics Federation of India chief Adille Sumariwalla.

Rumours have swirled around the Olympic and world champion being troubled by an adductor niggle as he sets sights on retaining the gold medal at the Paris Olympics a few days from now, but Sumariwalla said he is in constant touch with the champion athlete's coach who has assured him Neeraj is in the best shape possible.

"Neeraj is the person who lives in the moment. Other people think about past, future but Neeraj lives in the present. That is why he is so successful. He knows 'I have to do this much'. Whenever you ask him to throw, he will always do 88-89 metres; that is his consistency. His consistency has got him all the victories," said Sumariwalla on the sidelines of a promotional event here on Thursday.

Neeraj won the Tokyo Olympics gold with a throw of 87.58m, while his best in international competition has been 89.94m during the Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden in 2022.

Though the 90m-mark has eluded Neeraj, Sumariwalla says it's a misconception that everyone throwing 90-plus in the lead-up to the Olympics can win medals on the big stage.

"Last Olympics, three people had 90m-plus throws, Neeraj won in 88m (87.58), Before the World Championships (2023 Budapest), there were three people who threw 90-plus, Neeraj won in 89 (88.17m).

"Before the Asian Games in Hangzhou, there was one guy who was throwing over 90, Neeraj won gold. So, on that day what happens can be very different. There are people who have crossed 90m and Neeraj has never crossed 90m, but he won every time," Sumariwalla said.