Neeraj Chopra put on 12kgs after winning gold at Tokyo Olympics

Ace Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra revealed he had put on close to 12 kgs of weight after his gold medal-winning feat at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Neeraj Chopra trained hard for his maiden Olympic sojourn. He triumphed in the javelin throw, winning the gold medal with a throw of 87.58m. It was way ahead of nearest rival Johannes Vetter of Germany.

In a media interaction with select journalists, Neeraj Chopra revealed how he celebrated. He said he loved Indian food and binged on his favorite food after his return from Tokyo.

"After the Olympics, I decided I was going to eat all the food I like. I followed a strict diet regimen during the Olympics cycle as I had to stay fit. After winning the gold medal, I decided to eat all my favorite food. I gained closed to 12 kgs after my return from Tokyo," Neeraj Chopra said.

The ace athlete is now training at the prestigious Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in San Diego, California, USA.

The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in California was chosen and approved by the Sports Authority of India in quick time. The forced development came after the recent outbreak of the new Covid-19 variant, Omicron, in South Africa which was Neeraj Chopra's original training base.

Read: Neeraj Chopra eyeing good form ahead of action packed 2022 season

The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center is a state-of-the-art facility and is spread over 155 acres. It is one of the world's finest training and competition venues.

Neeraj Chopra getting back to form

Neeraj Chopra said he is back to his off-season weight after a strict 22 days at the Chula Vista Elite Training Center.

"I've been training for about 22 days now and have cut down 5.5 kgs so far. Now my weight is close to the off-season weight," he admitted.

Speaking about his training, Neeraj Chopra said although the initial few days were difficult, he found it going once he set himself into a routine.

"The initial few days of training were hard. My body did hurt, there was some pain and I had some stiffness too. I had to put in a lot of effort. I was physically tired but I managed to push through, despite being exhausted. I'm training hard now so that I can get to javelin-specific training soon" he said.

Neeraj Chopra, also a junior world champion, is bracing for a packed 2022 calendar. It includes the Commonwealth and Asian Games, World Championship and the Diamond League.