Muhammad Yasir, the young Pakistani javelin thrower, is ecstatic after receiving a phone call from Neeraj Chopra, India’s Olympic gold winner, congratulating him on winning a bronze medal in the Asian Athletics Championships.
Yasir achieved the feat with a throw of 79.93 meters during the event in Bangkok last month.
It was a pleasant surprise when he (Neeraj Chopra) called me up and appreciated my performance after I won the bronze medal in the javelin event recently. He wished me best of luck for future events, Yasir told Geo TV.
While India took home 27 medals including six gold and 12 silver from the Asian meet, Pakistan’s only medal came through Yasir.
Pakistan’s top javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem didn’t take part in the championships due to a long-standing injury problem.
Yasir said he closely follows Chopra’s performances and his training routines.
The only difference between Pakistani and Indian athletes is that they have the opportunity to train with foreign coaches on a long-term basis at the best facilities in countries known for producing top athletes.
In Pakistan, unfortunately, we don’t even have the proper equipment or foreign coaches. We have to manage somehow, a reason also why we need to appreciate the performances of Arshad Nadeem, said Yasir.
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First Published: Aug 02 2023 | 11:39 PM IST