Hunger is there to win gold in next edition, says Neeraj Chopra

Eugene (Oregon): Tokyo Olympics javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra, who clinched a historic silver medal for India at the World Athletics Championships, was elated with his performance and said that there is hunger inside him to win gold in next edition of the competition.

With his best throw of 88.13m, Chopra won the silver and ended India's 19-year-long wait for a medal at the World Athletics Championships. This was India's second medal at the World Championships and the first podium finish since Anju Bobby George won a bronze medal in long jump at Paris in 2003.

"I am happy to have won silver, the country's first medal in the World Athletics Championships after 19 years, I will take it. World Championships is even tougher than Olympics, its record is higher than that of Olympics," said Chopra after his heroics.

The 24-year-old further said, one cannot get gold each time but he will focus and concentrate on training and improvement in order to win the yellow medal in next year's World Championships.

"An athlete cannot win a gold every time but we have to keep trying and give our best. I have learned a lot from the challenging situation today, and I will work for improvement," Chopra said.

"I have won gold at all levels except this World Championships silver. So, hunger is there to win gold. I will try to change the color of the metal (to gold) in the next World Championships in 2023 (in Budapest). The other competition I want to win gold in is the Diamond League," he added.

When asked to whom he would dedicate the silver medal, the star athlete said, "Anju Bobby George madam won India's first medal. Everybody who has played a part in my success and those who are praying for my success, I would like to dedicate to them."

Chopra also mentioned that he spoke to Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem who finished fifth with a best throw of 86.16m.

"I spoke to him after the end of the event and told him that he had performed well. He said he had problems with his elbow. He was not doing well at the start so I told him he made a good comeback," he said.