"You get a lot of vegetarian food in India but not outside" - Neeraj Chopra opens up on when he became a non-vegetarian

Olympic gold medallist and 2023 Asian Games champion Neeraj Chopra is known to maintain a strict fitness routine to perform exceptionally on the world stage.

From training routines like squats, snatches, and weighted lunges, specifically designed by his current coach Klaus Bartonietz, the Javelin ace is known to take care of his physique to build good upper and lower body strength.

A nutritious diet is also equally important for the Haryanvi, and Neeraj was famously known to be a vegetarian until he faced problems while training and participating in events abroad. Eventually, he turned into a non-vegetarian.

Speaking at an event on Tuesday, Neeraj asserted that while supplements were important, a natural diet was crucial and that he found it hard abroad, which was the reason behind the shift.

"I realised that I need to eat non-vegetarian food while training abroad. You get a lot of vegetarian food in India but not outside,” Chopra said

Recollecting a nightmarish time in Poland, Neeraj detailed his gradual shift to eating meat.

“It was when I was training in Poland. I got rice, leafy vegetables, etc. You can say that (it was) like the things buffalo eat in villages," he said with a tinge of disgust.

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"From my journey, I realized that anybody can achieve success" - Neeraj Chopra's advice for athletes

Day 9 - World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023

Neeraj Chopra has been very strict with his diet ever since he faced weight issues and put on a few unwanted pounds after the Tokyo Olympics. Since then, he has maintained the habit of keeping his diet simple. He prefers to have a simple lunch and eats vegetarian food while in India.

Neeraj is known to be a tea aficionado, consuming copious amounts of the flavored drink while in India. He also enjoys the Haryanvi sweet dish his mother prepares at his home.

“I like to have tea. But I don’t get tea for five-six months when I train abroad,” he said.

When pressed on his favorite cheat meal, Neeraj said it was churma. Sweets were not a part of his daily diet during practice but once he was back home, he would relish the dish.

Neeraj had words of optimism for athletes who faced failure on the field, stating that it was not the end of the world.

"Don’t take sports as everything, it is only part of life. You have your family, your friends. Think that you will get something ahead," he said.

Neeraj also talked about his momentous Tokyo Olympics win and the feeling he had on the podium. He talked about the feeling of wearing the gold medal, having the national flag raised and the national anthem being played.

“When I remember that moment, I always get goosebumps. Thousands of thoughts came about. How I started from a normal family in a village with no sports background. From my journey, I realised that anybody can achieve success if you have the passion," he said.