It's a dream to compete with other international stars in India: Neeraj Chopra
New Delhi (PTI): Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra hoped to compete with other prominent international names in India sooner than later following his silver medal-winning effort in the Paris Olympics.
Chopra bagged the silver at the Paris showpiece with a throw of 89.45m behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who hurled the javelin to 92.97m, an Olympic record.
Anderson Peters of Grenada came third with a throw of 88.54m among the field that included some high-profile javelin throwers like Julian Webber, Jakub Vadlejch and Julius Yego.
"It's a dream of mine to compete with other international stars in India. Hopefully, there will be an international competition soon in India and I can do that," Chopra said during an interactive session with fans organised by the Olympics.com
But before that, Chopra, whose silver was his second successive Olympics medal after the gold in Tokyo, said he wanted to work on certain areas of his game.
"I am entering a new season now. So, I don't have that much time to change training methods or technique. But I hope to improve upon a couple of areas, especially the line of the javelin.
"You know, the correct angle of throwing so that I get more power in my throw. I will certainly work on it," he said.
Chopra said he wanted to give it all in the Paris Games final despite being below his best physically.
"The body conditions (of his) were tough. But when Arshad made that throw...I was able to hit my season's best because the thought was set in my mind that I had to give the best throw because the competition had already become very tough."
Mothers of Chopra and Nadeem had taken the social media by storm as they showered affection on each other's son.
Chopra said his mother always spoke from her heart as she to date remained a simple rural soul.
"My mother…she always stayed in a village before and after her marriage. She is not familiar with social media and things like that. She often speaks from her heart. But she understands what families of athletes, even from different countries, feel towards them."
Praise for Sreejesh, Manu
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Chopra lauded shooter Manu Bhaker for showing perseverance to grab two bronze medals in the Paris Games after experiencing utter disappointment in the Tokyo edition.
"The way Manu Bhaker prepared her mind and came from her Tokyo setback is impressive. Her mindset appeared to be very strong this time while taking part in back-to-back competitions. I think it's just a start for her because I saw even people over 50 (age) were participating in shooting.
"I hope Manu will play in a lot more competitions, bring a lot more medals for the country and change the colour of the medal too," he said.
The 26-year-old also hailed Indian hockey team's goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who retired from top-level competition with a bronze at Paris.
"Sreejesh is a very relaxed and funny person. He motivates younger players a lot. Sreejesh bhai had said that he would retire after the Olympics. The players, I think, also felt that they should win it for Sreejesh bhai after doing so many great things for the team."
Chopra said Sreejesh offers a fine example in tackling pressure situations.
"He has so many years of experience and he knows how to tackle the pressure situations. He seemed to be in his zone when I met him before the bronze medal match," he added.
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Terror threat: Security heightened near key religious, heritage sites in Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): Security was tightened across key religious and heritage sites in Delhi on Saturday, including areas around the Red Fort and parts of Chandni Chowk, following intelligence inputs suggesting a possible terror threat, an official said.
Security agencies issued an alert on a possible explosion threat near Red Fort, a major tourist destination and high-security zone, after Central intelligence agencies indicated that Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has allegedly kept prominent religious places in India on its target list.
Sources said specific inputs suggested that a temple in the Chandni Chowk area could be among the potential targets.
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While the intelligence inputs are being verified and assessed, security has been stepped up in and around sensitive religious places and crowded public areas, they added.
Intelligence agencies indicated that LeT could be attempting to carry out an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)-based attack. The alleged plan is reportedly linked to attempts by the terror group to avenge the February 6 blast at a mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, sources said.
Central agencies and Delhi Police units are maintaining close coordination, and surveillance has been intensified through CCTV monitoring, vehicle checks and deployment of additional personnel at vulnerable points. Bomb disposal squads, dog squads and quick reaction teams have also been placed on standby at strategic locations, they added.
The alert comes in the backdrop of the deadly car explosion near the historic Red Fort on November 10, 2025, which killed at least 13 people and injured more than 20 others. The blast occurred when a car loaded with explosives detonated near Gate No 1 of the Red Fort metro station, igniting multiple vehicles nearby and causing panic in the densely populated area.
Security agencies have urged people to remain vigilant and immediately inform police or emergency services about any suspicious objects or activity. However, officials said there is no cause for panic and that the measures are precautionary in nature.
Further intelligence gathering and verification of inputs are underway, an official said.
