Our First Tryst with Sports Tourism
The Plan
“Iss saal summer holidays ka kya plan hai?” is one question that pops up on most dining table conversations around April. When our family was amid such discussion this year, several destination ideas came up, with attractions ranging from nature, theme parks, adventure, and sports. One of these options was visiting Doha, Qatar to watch our favorite sportsperson Neeraj Chopra live in action at the Diamond League opening event. Once this option appeared, our son, an avid fan of Neeraj, refused to consider any other options.
To ensure this was not just momentary excitement, we offered a few cons of Doha: it will be hot, there will be no medals/trophies or Neeraj walking wrapped in a flag at this qualification event, the Indian contingent is small, etc. Pat came the replies “I want to see him playing live at an international athletics meet. Temperature does not matter; our athletes will be playing in the heat too. We will wave the flag for him this time. Contingent size doesn’t matter, I want to cheer for Indian players.” Convinced of his conviction, we froze the destination-Doha Diamond League it is!
The Background
Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold and its mass coverage got us interested in athletics and we started following Neeraj’s journey. We saw several of his interviews and were inspired by his voyage from unsure and humble beginnings to a confident presence on the top Olympic podium. Through various updates and resources, we learnt more about different athletic disciplines and event formats.
With this growing interest, evolved a dream of wanting to watch our champion perform live someday, learn more about the technicalities of the sport, meet him and convey how proud we are of his accomplishments, and how he and his family inspire young and grown-ups alike with their humility and simplicity. With the Doha Diamond League tickets booked, the dream appeared closer. We started preparing by getting India flags, making best wishes cards, and ordering the Team India Olympic jersey replica t-shirt.
The Event
At Doha airport, we noticed a javelin case at baggage claim. Our son ran to check whom it belonged to and saw “Keshorn Walcott” written in bold. Our newfound knowledge of athletics helped us recognize him instantly. We clicked pictures with the London 2012 Olympic gold-medalist and told him we have travelled from India to watch this event. Acutely aware of Neeraj’s popularity, he quipped “For the event…oh you mean for Neeraj” 😊 Yes, Neeraj is the event for most Indian fans!
Pillars of support
We also had the honor of meeting Neeraj’s coach Dr Klaus Bartonietz, his physiotherapist Mr Ishaan Marwaha, and his uncle Mr Surendra Chopra. The very energetic Dr Bartonietz gleefully discussed the physics of javelin with diagrams when we asked a question about release angles. He explained the importance of technique versus strength, role of wind, catapult action of the body, and more. It was a true delight to learn the technicalities of this sport from a world expert! We conveyed to Ishaan how wonderful it was to meet the Golden Trio and how we all appreciate the collective team efforts. We also had a meaningful conversation with Neeraj’s uncle about success and failure, critical role of family in the early years, how Neeraj as a young lad was always self-motivated and “bahut suljha hua bachaa”, and how more can be done for Indian sports overall.
The Learnings
We hope more establishments come forward to promote sports in the country, and there is improved sports coaching at schools, wider media coverage of Olympic sports, and hosting of more international competitions on home turf so as to build a stronger and healthier youth that are victorious in tough situations of life. We are confident that in coming times, we will be hearing Jana Gana Mana more often in the Olympic stadium! Rooting for Team India at Paris 2024…Jai Hind!
“Iss saal summer holidays ka kya plan hai?” is one question that pops up on most dining table conversations around April. When our family was amid such discussion this year, several destination ideas came up, with attractions ranging from nature, theme parks, adventure, and sports. One of these options was visiting Doha, Qatar to watch our favorite sportsperson Neeraj Chopra live in action at the Diamond League opening event. Once this option appeared, our son, an avid fan of Neeraj, refused to consider any other options.
To ensure this was not just momentary excitement, we offered a few cons of Doha: it will be hot, there will be no medals/trophies or Neeraj walking wrapped in a flag at this qualification event, the Indian contingent is small, etc. Pat came the replies “I want to see him playing live at an international athletics meet. Temperature does not matter; our athletes will be playing in the heat too. We will wave the flag for him this time. Contingent size doesn’t matter, I want to cheer for Indian players.” Convinced of his conviction, we froze the destination-Doha Diamond League it is!
The Background
Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold and its mass coverage got us interested in athletics and we started following Neeraj’s journey. We saw several of his interviews and were inspired by his voyage from unsure and humble beginnings to a confident presence on the top Olympic podium. Through various updates and resources, we learnt more about different athletic disciplines and event formats.
With this growing interest, evolved a dream of wanting to watch our champion perform live someday, learn more about the technicalities of the sport, meet him and convey how proud we are of his accomplishments, and how he and his family inspire young and grown-ups alike with their humility and simplicity. With the Doha Diamond League tickets booked, the dream appeared closer. We started preparing by getting India flags, making best wishes cards, and ordering the Team India Olympic jersey replica t-shirt.
The Event
At Doha airport, we noticed a javelin case at baggage claim. Our son ran to check whom it belonged to and saw “Keshorn Walcott” written in bold. Our newfound knowledge of athletics helped us recognize him instantly. We clicked pictures with the London 2012 Olympic gold-medalist and told him we have travelled from India to watch this event. Acutely aware of Neeraj’s popularity, he quipped “For the event…oh you mean for Neeraj” 😊 Yes, Neeraj is the event for most Indian fans!
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| With London 2012 Olympic champion and 2-time Olympic medalist- Keshorn Walcott |
On the event day, it occurred to us that we had missed making a poster, an
important item on our cheering-aids checklist. We rushed to get stationery
from the nearest available supermarket, and our son made a poster for his
idol with just a few hours left for the event.
|
| Emotions on paper |
On reaching the stadium, we saw sector markings on the field and realized
that javelin throwing area had been reversed this year compared to last
year. This meant that although we had planned to be seated behind the
throwing area and had bought tickets accordingly, we were now closer to
where the javelins would land. Disappointed with the realization, we ran
pillar to post to get our seats changed, but turned out that our only option
was to buy new tickets on the opposite side of the stadium. Given that we
had travelled all the way especially for this event, we went ahead and
bought new tickets. So yes, we ended up having 6 tickets between the 3 of
us!
Finally, we were seated where we had a clear view of the javelin throwing area. Strong headwinds made for unsupportive throwing conditions, but Neeraj looked ready to take the headwinds, head on. As the athletes were warming up, one of the throwers had slipped. Neeraj rushed to ensure that he was fine and also that the cameraman nearby did not get hit by the javelin that had fallen off awkwardly, highlighting his attentiveness to the present moment. Despite a world-lead-worthy first round effort, he seemed to be dissatisfied with his throws as he was probably eyeing the coveted 90 m mark that he has been feeling ready for since a while. With his iconic hand-raise and smile after the last throw, as fans, we were happy to see that he was finally content with his throw, although the headwinds somewhat annulled his effort. He finished on top of the charts that evening, much to the pride of every Indian. It was an absolute delight to watch our Olympic champion live: confident, exuberant, ready to roar! A true son of soil making a mark for our country on the global athletics stage and spearheading (literally!) the beginning of a new era in Indian sports. We proudly cheered, waved, clapped, clicked, and lived our dream.
Finally, we were seated where we had a clear view of the javelin throwing area. Strong headwinds made for unsupportive throwing conditions, but Neeraj looked ready to take the headwinds, head on. As the athletes were warming up, one of the throwers had slipped. Neeraj rushed to ensure that he was fine and also that the cameraman nearby did not get hit by the javelin that had fallen off awkwardly, highlighting his attentiveness to the present moment. Despite a world-lead-worthy first round effort, he seemed to be dissatisfied with his throws as he was probably eyeing the coveted 90 m mark that he has been feeling ready for since a while. With his iconic hand-raise and smile after the last throw, as fans, we were happy to see that he was finally content with his throw, although the headwinds somewhat annulled his effort. He finished on top of the charts that evening, much to the pride of every Indian. It was an absolute delight to watch our Olympic champion live: confident, exuberant, ready to roar! A true son of soil making a mark for our country on the global athletics stage and spearheading (literally!) the beginning of a new era in Indian sports. We proudly cheered, waved, clapped, clicked, and lived our dream.
|
| Showing the way forward for Indian athletics |
The WOW Moments!
JSW Sports
At the stadium, team JSW sports happened to be seated right behind us. The extremely cordial and approachable team was pleased to see our interest in Olympic sports, and very kindly invited us to meet the athletes the next day at a luncheon event, so that we could get to spend some time with Neeraj. At that moment, our faces could have been the new emojis for disbelief mixed with joy 😊 We whole-heartedly thanked JSW sports for this lovely gesture that will now be a precious lifetime memory.
Golden Boy: Neeraj Chopra
It was a surreal moment when we met and interacted with our champion, Neeraj at the luncheon event. The super-relaxed, world lead in javelin clicked pictures with ease, interacted with our child, and gave heartfelt, inspiring pieces of advice. We saw him benevolently pause his meals and conversations for pictures, meticulously respond to every hello and question, appreciate the chefs who had prepared the day’s luncheon, patiently accommodate autograph requests despite being tired, genuinely thank all his supporters, and just be one amongst us.
JSW Sports
At the stadium, team JSW sports happened to be seated right behind us. The extremely cordial and approachable team was pleased to see our interest in Olympic sports, and very kindly invited us to meet the athletes the next day at a luncheon event, so that we could get to spend some time with Neeraj. At that moment, our faces could have been the new emojis for disbelief mixed with joy 😊 We whole-heartedly thanked JSW sports for this lovely gesture that will now be a precious lifetime memory.
Golden Boy: Neeraj Chopra
It was a surreal moment when we met and interacted with our champion, Neeraj at the luncheon event. The super-relaxed, world lead in javelin clicked pictures with ease, interacted with our child, and gave heartfelt, inspiring pieces of advice. We saw him benevolently pause his meals and conversations for pictures, meticulously respond to every hello and question, appreciate the chefs who had prepared the day’s luncheon, patiently accommodate autograph requests despite being tired, genuinely thank all his supporters, and just be one amongst us.
Despite reaching dizzying heights of success, his simplicity and humility
puts everyone around him at ease. With unmatched focus both on and off the
field, he came across as an extremely genuine person in his words and
actions. Golden boy, not just for the medals, but the kindest golden heart!
Learning from the best
Pillars of support
We also had the honor of meeting Neeraj’s coach Dr Klaus Bartonietz, his physiotherapist Mr Ishaan Marwaha, and his uncle Mr Surendra Chopra. The very energetic Dr Bartonietz gleefully discussed the physics of javelin with diagrams when we asked a question about release angles. He explained the importance of technique versus strength, role of wind, catapult action of the body, and more. It was a true delight to learn the technicalities of this sport from a world expert! We conveyed to Ishaan how wonderful it was to meet the Golden Trio and how we all appreciate the collective team efforts. We also had a meaningful conversation with Neeraj’s uncle about success and failure, critical role of family in the early years, how Neeraj as a young lad was always self-motivated and “bahut suljha hua bachaa”, and how more can be done for Indian sports overall.
With Neeraj's pillars of support
The Learnings
Sports teaches us endurance, discipline, hard work, team play, and
patience, making it extremely important for any child’s holistic
development. While a young child’s interests may wander, as parents we can
try to keep learning channels open and provide adequate support.
Children
learn by seeing, so it is critical they idolize the right people. Who
better than our sporting stars to show them how to stay humble during
success and motivated during defeat. When a champion like Neeraj Chopra
says “mehnat karni hai, khush rehna hai, healthy rehna hai, aur kabhi niraash
nahi hona hai,” it makes an impact, because he lives by these values and walks the
talk! The child saw him keeping his cool amidst tough playing conditions,
eager fans, and exhaustive schedules. And experiencing this live, was our
exact purpose of making the trip. As a little fan who had the rare opportunity to meet his idol, our son absorbed innumerable learnings from "Neeraj sir", and was content that we had chosen Doha Diamond League over other destination options. While most trips offer exciting experiences, this one offered transformational ones. We went home enriched!
We hope more establishments come forward to promote sports in the country, and there is improved sports coaching at schools, wider media coverage of Olympic sports, and hosting of more international competitions on home turf so as to build a stronger and healthier youth that are victorious in tough situations of life. We are confident that in coming times, we will be hearing Jana Gana Mana more often in the Olympic stadium! Rooting for Team India at Paris 2024…Jai Hind!
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