CWG 2022: Neeraj Chopra Changed Mentality Of Indian Athletes With His Gold Medal, Remarks Athlete Eldhose Paul On Homecoming

09.08.2022 - 09:39 sports.ndtv.com

Indian athletes Eldhose Paul, Sandeep Kumar, Avinash Sable and Abdulla Aboobacker received a warm welcome at the Delhi Airport on Tuesday after a successful Commonwealth Games 2022 campaign in Birmingham.

The Indian athletics contingent had an incredible Commonwealth Games 2022 as they returned back home with eight medals, consisting of one gold, four silver and three silver medals.

Eldhose Paul said to ANI, "I am happy that the national anthem was playing and the first two athletes were from India. I felt proud.

We were already preparing for CWG and Asian Games. The World Championships gave us an experience that benefitted us. Neeraj Chopra's gold (in Tokyo 2020 Olympics) changed our mentality.

Other sports athletics CWG 2022 on Avinash Sable Tokyo India Birmingham Delhi

Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who pulled out of the recent Commonwealth Games due to a minor injury, figured in the list of competitors for the Lausanne Diamond League Meeting on August 26. But he is yet to take a call on his participation in the prestigious competition. The 24-year-old had missed the Birmingham CWG due to a "minor" groin strain he suffered while winning a historic silver in the World Championships in Eugene, USA last month. He was advised one-month rest.

Neeraj Chopra figures in list of Diamond League Meeting competitors

Commonwealth Games due to a minor injury, figured in the list of competitors for the Lausanne Diamond League Meeting on August 26. But he is yet to take a call on his participation in the prestigious competition.

CWG 2022: Neeraj Chopra's heroics inspired young athletes' medal rush

Young Indian athletes to the fore at CWGBENGALURU: A series of superb performances by the Indian jumpers, led by triple jumpers Eldhose Paul and Abdulla Aboobacker and middle distance runner Avinash Sable, powered India to the 12th spot in the athletics medals table, sixth by total, and made sure that the absence of Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra was not a big talking point. As an India team coach put it on the eve of the Games, Chopra's triumph in Tokyo galvanised a few Indian athletes and also broke the mental barrier of the legendary one hundredth of a second agony suffered by Milkha Singh and PT Usha. Instead, these athletes found that extra ounce of energy to peak at the right time and to produce their personal bests.

From Struggling For Pocket Money To Winning CWG Gold: Eldhose Paul's Inspiring Journey

Brought up by his grandmother and labourer father after his mother's death when he was a small child, Eldhose Paul, who won a historic triple jump gold in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, struggled for pocket money during his college days. Hailing from Kolencherry, a rural area 26km away from Ernakulam city, Paul struggled financially and he took up to athletics to get a job so that he can be able to support his family.

Commonwealth Games 2022: Full List Of Indian Medal Winners After Day 10

Day 10 of the ongoing Commonwealth Games brought new achievements for India as they added 15 more medals to their tally, including five gold medals. Achanta Sharath Kamal and Sreeja Akula won the gold medal in the table tennis mixed doubles category. Three boxers - Nikhat Zareen (women's light flyweight), Amit Panghal (men's flyweight) and Nitu Ganghas (women's minimumweight) - also won their respective finals. Women's cricket team lost to Australia in the final clash and got the silver medal. Men's triple jump finalists, Eldhose Paul and Abdulla Aboobacker were among the other medal winners from India. Currently standing at the fifth spot, India are one step behind New Zealand due to less number of gold.