Too much expectation can be the enemy of all pleasures! Decades ago when I was in college a professor had this to say in a specific context but that sentiment came to mind watching our icon Neeraj Chopra struggle and then collapse in his pet javelin event in the World championship in Tokyo. A million eyeballs the world over wanting to see another high from this great talent were in for a shock. The expected highs turned to sighs of disbelief. Never having had the experience of not being in the top since he rose to be a powerhouse in javelin, the agony that came forth on that evening simply seemed out of place. In effect the venue where he first rose to earn a celebrity status with his gold medal in the Olympics, Chopra unfortunately had the mortification of falling low at the same venue.

True, as in life, so in sports, ups and downs are part and parcel but somehow Chopra had always looked unshakable. If not a win, at least finishing among the top two or three seemed the norm. But as it turned out it was after over 2500 days or 33 events that this great Indian had missed out on a podium finish. Imagine the enormity of the disappointment then! Even less than a month ago in Zurich in the Diamond League final Chopra had managed to finish second for the third straight year. There also Chopra had........

© Mathrubhumi English