Javelin thrower, Taiwan Athletics Open gold medallist Rohit Yadav: Neeraj bhai told me, focus on dreams not results
Javelin thrower Rohit Yadav's impressive heave of 74.42m notched up India's 16-medal finish at Taiwan Athletics Open on Sunday. Despite the victory, the two-time national champ is still hungry for more. 'Desh ke liye gold laya hoon, bahut khush hoon,' says the UP native adding, 'Lekin aur behtar kar sakta tha. Main 80m mark todna chahte tha, par iss baar nahin toh agli baar zaroor aur achha karunga. If you feel you have fallen short of your goal, then you must learn where you lacked and come back even stronger.'
Rohit adds that an athlete's success isn't just measured by a medal tally but also by the legacy they leave. That's exactly why he looks up to Olympian Neeraj Chopra. 'I first met Neeraj bhai in 2019 and every interaction with him since has been a motivator for me to get better,' he shares. 'His words to me — 'Focus on your dreams, not the results' — stayed with me. Unki consistency mujhe inspire karti hai and main bhi wahi consistency ke saath aage badhna chahta hoon,' he continues.
A post shared by Rohit Yadav Javelin (@rohit________yadav)
The javelin champ also reveals that his father Sabhajeet Yadav has been a source of inspiration. 'From childhood till now, I have been very close to my father. Woh sports ke liye passionate hain, aur unko hi dekhkar maine khelna shuru kara — talking with him helps me focus better. Before leaving for the competition, I discussed my mindset with him, and that helped me get in the right headspace,' he adds.
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