Pakistani javelin thrower Muhammad Yasir on cloud nine after call from Neeraj Chopra
Pakistani javelin thrower Muhammad Yasir was overjoyed after receiving a call from India's Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra congratulating him on reaching third place in the Asian Athletics Championship. Yasir accomplished the milestone during the competition in Bangkok with a throw of 79.93m.
“It was a pleasant surprise when he (Neeraj Chopra) called me up and appreciated my performance after I won the bronze medal in the javelin event recently. He wished me the best of luck for future events,” Yasir told Geo TV.
Pakistan only won one medal, thanks to Yasir, whereas India won 27 medals overall, including six gold and twelve silver. Arshad Nadeem, the best javelin thrower from Pakistan, was unable to compete in the competition owing to a persistent injury.
Yasir claimed to pay careful attention to Chopra's performances and training regimens. “The only difference between Pakistani and Indian athletes is that they have the opportunity to train with foreign coaches on a long-term basis at the best facilities in countries known for producing top athletes.
“In Pakistan, unfortunately, we don’t even have the proper equipment or foreign coaches. We have to manage somehow, a reason also why we need to appreciate the performances of Arshad Nadeem,” said Yasir.