Tribal athlete aims to compete with javelin idol

Vadodara: Four years ago, Olympian Neeraj Chopra inspired him to pick up the javelin and train himself. Bharat Rathwa, a tribal athlete from Gujarat, got professional training in javelin throwing and is now preparing to compete with his idol Chopra and other athletes at the World Athletics Championships.

"It would be a dream come true if I get to stand next to Chopra and compete in the world championships. It was because of him that I got into javelin throwing, but I haven't met him yet. I am undergoing training to participate in the Indian Open Athletics meet in Bengaluru in June. If I perform very well, I will qualify for the world championship to be held in Japan in Sept," Rathwa, who is from Chhota Udepur, told TOI.

Rathwa said he is training hard at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Patiala. "I have been coached by Samarjeet Malhi at the NIS grounds for the last three months. He is working on my javelin throwing technique," Rathwa added.

The 24-year-old recalled how he won several javelin contests in his school days in the tribal town of Chhota Udepur, but gave up the sport as he felt that it didn't have much scope. When Chopra won gold in the Olympics in 2021, Rathwa's eyes lit up.

"I thought if Chopra can do it, so can I. I began practising in August 2021 and won a bronze medal in the inter-district open athletics championships in Gujarat in two months," Rathwa said.

He then went on to win silver in the state-level athletics championship in Rajkot and a gold medal in the national athletics championship in Morbi in 2022. Rathwa practised javelin throwing after watching videos of various throwers, including Chopra, as he wasn't comfortable practising in public view at a ground in Delhi. He went on to win a gold at the Youth Games Indo-Nepal International Series in 2022. His personal best is a 78m throw.

Having lost his parents at the age of 12, Rathwa and his sister had to fend for themselves and rely on their small piece of ancestral agricultural land. He dropped out of school after failing the HSC examination. "I work at an eatery in Patiala to fund my coaching fees and living expenses. My family members also chip in occasionally. I have been promised that if I do well in the national meet, the govt will take care of my expenses. I am determined to do my best," Rathwa added.