Abhinav Bindra, who won a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in shooting finally had a company in Neeraj Chopra, who won a gold in javelin throw.
Abhinav Bindra, India's first-ever Olympic gold medallist and only one before Saturday, August 7 brought glory to the nation in the 2008 Beijing Olympics winning gold in the 10-metre air rifle event in shooting. The lonely Bindra has now been joined by the 23-year old Neeraj Chopra from Panipat as the second gold medallist in individual events in the Olympic Games after he won the men's javelin throw final with an 87.58-metre throw.
Apart from achieving the glory in the month of August, Bindra going it on August 11, 2008, and Neeraj Chopra getting it on August 7, 2021, there are other things that are common in both the athletes.
They may be from different backgrounds and very different people but one common thing that binds them together is the dedication to achieve excellence in whatever they do.
Speaking to India Today about the same, Manisha Malhotra, Head of Sports Excellence and Scouting, JSW Sports, who has worked with both Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra said that she knew what it took for these two to become champions and they were ready to put the hard yards.
"One common thing between Abhinav and Neeraj is that they did everything they could to work towards that goal - whether it was the diet, the hard work, the exercise, the fitness.. they did whatever it took. They (Bindra and Neeraj) left no stone unturned. When an athlete trains like that, they have that level of confidence they know that they could not have done anything more.
"And when you have that satisfaction, then you just are relaxed and you perform to your very best because you know that there is nothing more you could do and then you leave it to the universe and other things that could affect your performance on that day," Manisha told India Today.
Bindra penned a heartfelt letter and shared it on Twitter for Neeraj saying, "Welcome to the club" and added that he has waited for a long time for someone else to join him as the gold medallist in individual competitions in the Olympics.
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