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Former Olympic medalist Gagan Narang heaped praise on Neeraj Chopra as star Indian athlete crossed 90-metre barrier in the 2025 Doha Diamond League. The 27-year-old finished second with a throw of 90.23 meters while Germany’s Julian Weber went on to become champion with a throw of 91.06 meters. However, Narang feels that Chopra can go even beyond this and needs to push his limits.
Gagan Narang opined that there was a mental barrier on Neeraj Chopra which is now broken and Chopra can now achieve a target of more than 90 meters in javelin throw. “As an athlete, I have been in this situation multiple times. And what Neeraj has done is absolutely monumental for Indian athletics. And crossing the psychological and performance barrier isn't just about, it's not just about the distance, right? It's about redefining what's possible for Indian sport, especially on the global stage,” Narang said in his interview with PTI.
“So, you know, from that perspective, what Neeraj has achieved is absolutely phenomenal because, you know, at the end of the day, it is those small margins that push your glass ceiling. And this glass ceiling is set by ourselves, humans, us humans, you know. So, that is the reason that we always encourage people to be limitless. And what Neeraj has done is absolutely phenomenal,” he further added.
When I couldn’t reach the score of 600, I took it personally: Gagan Narang
Speaking further, Gagan Narang also drew parallels of his shooting career to Neeraj Chopra’s career in javelin throw. The 42-year-old revealed how hard he pushed to get to the perfect score of 600 and how he is witnessing that hunger in Neeraj now.
“You know, I was shooting 597, 598, 599. But that 600 — the world record mark — was not coming. I took it personally. And one and a half months later, I broke that record. That mindset — to go beyond what's seen as the limit — is what we're witnessing with Neeraj now," Narang further added.
