14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Gold spot! Bengaluru opens its arms wide for Neeraj Chopra
BENGALURU: Cheered on by fans and joined by top international athletes, the much-awaited Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 kicked off before ecstatic spectators at Sree Kanteerava Stadium.
The atmosphere was electric. Colourful parades, energetic drumbeats and towering puppets hovered above the crowd, as excited fans waved banners and posters to show their love for the players. The stadium buzzed with food stalls, VR zones, game booths and merchandise counters, adding to a festival-like vibe with fans of all ages soaking in.
For many, it was a chance to witness their hero in action. 'I've always dreamt of seeing Neeraj Chopra up close. And today, he's here, right in namma Bengaluru,' squealed Akhila, a die-hard fan, holding a handmade placard with Neeraj's name on it. 'We're here to see Neeraj bhai. He's a huge inspiration to all of us. How can he lose? He's from Haryana and part of the Indian Army,' said Pankaj, a proud Army man.
'I train here every day but I've never seen anything this grand for athletics on our home ground. The energy, the crowd, support, it's unreal. I just had to be here. I dragged all my friends, made posters, and told everyone you can't miss this,' shares Tarunya, an athlete.
For the athletes, it was more than just an event or meeting with Neeraj. It was like a long-awaited moment of recognition, where their passion is finally being acknowledged and celebrated.
'This event is really nice and I love that there are so many people here supporting Indian athletics. I hope it gets bigger and better every year,' shares Tarunya. 'It's a great initiative to host such events in India. It helps promote track and field, something people tend to overlook unless it's the Olympics. The turnout today proves the potential,' said Saurabh Balke, a sports enthusiast.
