Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra had an unplanned encounter with a fan during a walk in Bengaluru, ahead of the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin competition scheduled for July 5 at Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The event, India’s first International Javelin competition, will feature 12 elite athletes and is sanctioned by the Athletics Federation of India as a World Athletics Gold event.Neeraj Chopra Classic’s Instagram handle shared a reel of the heartwarming interaction between Chopra and an elderly fan on a quiet Bengaluru street.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Sometimes, the best moments aren’t planned. A quiet street in Bengaluru. A kind-hearted uncle. And a javelin legend who never forgets where he comes from,” the post stated.“We all respect and admire you. You have brought glory to the whole country,” the elderly man expressed to Chopra before requesting a photograph.The man concluded the interaction with words of encouragement, saying “Keep doing well.”The NC Classic was initially planned for May 24 but was postponed due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. The event is organised in collaboration with JSW Sports.The competition will showcase a strong lineup of international athletes competing alongside Chopra.The 12-member entry list includes notable names such as Anderson Peters, Thomas Rohler, and Julius Yego, the 2015 world champion and Rio 2016 silver medallist. Poland’s Martin Konecny has replaced Japan’s Genki Dean in the only change to the original roster.The competition will also feature Pan American Games champion Curtis Thompson from the USA, Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva, and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage.Indian athletes Sachin Yadav, Rohit Yadav, and Sahil Silwal will join Chopra in representing the host nation.
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