More 90m throws to come this season: Neeraj Chopra
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Doha (PTI): It was a "bittersweet" outing for Neeraj Chopra at the Doha Diamond League as he finally breached the elusive 90m mark but had to settle for a second-place finish and, with his groin injury nearly healed, the star Indian javelin thrower vowed to deliver more 90m-plus throws this season.
The 27-year-old double Olympic medallist sent his spear to 90.23m in his third attempt to join the list of javelin throwers, led by his current coach Jan Zelezny of the Czech Republic, who have recorded 90m-plus efforts. He became the third Asian and 25th overall to achieve the feat.
However, Germany's Julian Weber turned the tables and took the top spot with his sixth and final throw, measuring 91.06m. Chopra was leading before Weber's final attempt.
With the monkey off his back, Chopra asserted that his best is yet to come and fans can expect more 90m throws this year from him, an elusive mark for him for the last five years.
Now, a confident and injury-free Chopra, is focussing on fine-tuning a few aspects under Zelezny's tutelage.
Zelezny was roped in as Chopra's coach in November last year. But Chopra said they have been working together since February only.
"I am very happy with the 90m mark but it's a little bit of a bittersweet experience actually. But never mind, I and my coach are still working on some aspects of my throw. We started working together only in February this year. I am still learning things," Chopra said after the event.
"He doesn't normally go to the Diamond Leagues but he came with me because he told me that today is the day to achieve 90m.
"I was always feeling something in my groin in the last few years. I did not give my best because of that. This year I feel much better, we will also work on some aspects and so I believe I can throw more than 90m in the upcoming events this year till the World Championships."
The World Championships will be held in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.
Asked about his next goal, now that the 90m mark had been broken, Chopra said, "My next goal remains 90m. I believe I am ready to throw farther. It's just the beginning of a long season.
"I am very happy that Jan Zelezny is my coach and we worked very hard in South Africa. We are still working on some aspects."
Chopra said the conditions here also helped him in finding big throws and Zelezny also told him that he could cross the 90m mark.
"When I was having warm-up throws my coach said, today is the day when I can throw 90m. After my 90m throw also, he told me I can throw 2-3m farther.
"The wind helps for sure and the weather is a little warm and that helps. It's the first competition of the year, so everyone came with a fresh mindset after a long time and had the hunger inside for the throwing part (sic).
"I also told Julian (Weber) that we can throw 90m. I am also happy for him. We have tried very hard for 90m for so many years, and so we are happy. It's like a good push between us and in the next competition we will push each other again and will throw farther," he said.
Chopra rued that when he breached the national record earlier, he had to finish second twice.
"It had happened earlier also. When I threw an NR with over 89m in Turku, I finished second (sic). In Stockholm DL, when I threw 89.94m, I was second again, so also here," Chopra said.
Weber, on his part, said he did not do anything extra but had a feeling that he can breach the 90m mark here.
"I did not know how it happened. I had a very good massage thanks to my physiotherapist. It was fun today. Neeraj threw his first 90m plus and I went past the mark in my last throw and that was just perfect.
"I was very happy for him. We have been fighting for the 90m throw for a long time and we both achieved that today. So, it was very special for us."
It was Weber's first 90m-plus effort as well, and he became the 26th javelin thrower to breach the coveted mark. His effort was the world leading mark this season so far.
Two-time world champion and Paris Olympics bronze medallist Anderson Peters of Grenada was third with his opening throw of 84.65m.
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Cong claims BJP govts got its 9 AI videos deleted, calls it 'blatant misuse' of rules
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday claimed that nine of its videos created using artificial intelligence have been "forcefully deleted" by BJP governments at the Centre and in states, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should work in the nation's interest instead of "curbing" every voice of dissent.
The opposition party alleged that the deletion of the videos was a "blatant misuse" of the blocking rules against political adversaries and that there was a complete lack of transparency in the process.
There was no immediate response from the government or the BJP to the Congress' allegations.
Congress social media department head Supriya Shrinate alleged that the Modi government has left no stone unturned in strangling India's artificial intelligence (AI) potential.
"First, by handing over all our data to America in the trade deal, and now, amid the embarrassing mismanagement at the ongoing AI summit and the shameful revelations of theft and imitation that have tarnished India's image.
"But ironically, the same Narendra Modi, who makes grand statements about AI, actually fears artificial intelligence," she said at a press conference here.
In the last six weeks, nine videos created by the Congress using AI have been "forcefully deleted" by the "coward" prime minister, his central and BJP state governments, Shrinate claimed.
"Let me make it absolutely clear (that) all these videos carried the legally required AI disclaimer. Throughout the entire duration of the videos, 'AI-generated video' is prominently displayed at the top, which clearly proves that there was no attempt to mislead or deceive anyone," she said.
Yet, Prime Minister Modi himself and the BJP are so terrified of the truth that they are even afraid of its dramatic AI representation, she claimed.
"These videos show how cowardly Prime Minister Modi turned his back on his responsibility by telling General Naravane and the Army... How Modi compromised India's national interest while pursuing a trade deal with America," Shrinate said.
She claimed that some deletion orders for these AI videos were sent to social media platforms by police in BJP-ruled states like Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra while some came directly from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
"This is blatant misuse of the blocking and the IT Rules, 2021, against political adversaries. There is a complete lack of transparency on why a video is being taken down, there is no public order but complete secrecy. Which is why there is no ground for challenging these blockings and deletions in court. At least tell us what was illegal in these videos, what has been violated," Shrinate said.
"This is how authoritarian regimes work -- by giving orders to social media platforms to take down or block content arbitrarily in complete secrecy," she said.
The Congress leader said she welcomes curbing deep fakes and asked if political satires with AI disclaimers are the same.
"Is the government objecting to political satire and commentary on the prime minister which is perfectly legitimate in any democracy?" she asked.
Amid the controversy over Galgotias University displaying a made-in-China robotic dog as its own innovation at the India AI Impact Summit, Shrinate asked when the PM can pass off others' work as his own and rename Congress schemes to fool people, why wouldn't the rest of the country do the same.
"When the prime minister spends the whole day spouting rhetoric, those who steal and imitate are emboldened. When scientific temper is abandoned and superstition and delusions are encouraged, robots will not be built, they will just be bought from China.
"Imitation is not innovation, but does the government care? Modi ji, no matter what you say, your legacy is that private university which has brought us global shame," she said.
"Instead of getting AI videos deleted and curbing every voice of dissent and disagreement, PM Modi, you should work in the nation's interest, stop bowing before America, talk about farmers' rights, don't run away from Parliament, throw out your minister who has connections with a monster like Epstein, and stop compromising the country for Adani," Shrinate said.
