'I had listened to Shiv Tandav, it gave me goosebumps': Neeraj Chopra

NEW DELHI: Olympic and World Champion Neeraj Chopra believes his best performance is still on the horizon. Despite his accolades, including Olympic gold and World Championship titles, Chopra remains driven to surpass his previous throws. Before competitions, however, he boosts his adrenaline with high-energy music, favouring tracks by Imagine Dragons and the powerful 'Shiv Tandav'.
"To date, I am only satisfied with one throw of mine, which was 86.48 m in the World Under-20 Championships 2016. That was one throw where I felt it was a special, unique one, but I have not been satisfied with any throw since. I feel I have not got to my peak yet; I have won gold and won a lot of competitions, but I still believe I have not reached my best and I am not satisfied with my throw yet," said Neeraj on JioCinema's 'Get Set Gold', as quoted by ANI.
Chopra's accolades include not only the Olympic gold medal from Tokyo 2020 but also the World Championship title in Budapest 2023, along with a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene. He has also secured gold medals at the Asian Games in 2018 and 2022, showcasing his dominance in the sport.
Recently, Chopra announced his withdrawal from the Ostrava Golden Spike 2024 athletics meet in the Czech Republic, scheduled for May 28, due to concerns over a sensation in his adductor muscle. Emphasizing caution, especially with the Paris Olympics on the horizon, Chopra has chosen to focus on his recovery before returning to competition. This decision marks the second consecutive year he has had to withdraw from the Ostrava meet due to injury concerns.
In addition to discussing his athletic career, Chopra opened up about his personal life, including hobbies and interests beyond the javelin throw.

He mentioned a phase where he enjoyed shopping, particularly highlighting a memorable purchase of a unique art piece during a trip to Germany.
"I have many hobbies. I like hanging out with my friends. I also liked shopping a lot, but now I shop less because it feels like a waste of money. We can spend that money elsewhere. I like collecting unique things. I once went past a shop in Germany that had unique art pieces. I liked a statue of a warrior sitting on a horse, throwing a spear, more like throwing a javelin, so I bought it without even thinking. It was of 20 kilograms. Later, I thought, 'How will I take it to India?' Finally, a brother of mine managed it," added the athlete.
Before competitions, Chopra prefers listening to high-energy music, including tracks by Imagine Dragons and the 'Shiv Tandav' to boost his adrenaline.
"I do not have a favourite playlist but during events, I mostly listen to loud music, like Imagine Dragons. Once I was competing in the Asian Games and I had listened to Shiv Tandav, it gave me goosebumps. I like (adrenaline-pumping music) because normally, I am fine, but when I compete, I get very aggressive," remarked Chopra.