Neeraj Chopra Classic: Bengaluru’s iconic stadium gears up for javelin spectacle

India Today

Neeraj Chopra Classic: On the eve of a landmark moment in Indian athletics, Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium lies in poised silence — the calm before a historic storm. For the first time ever, the nation will witness a world-class javelin spectacle on home soil, led by Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and 11 elite throwers. The markers are set, the stage is ready, and history is about to be hurled into motion.

Transcript

00:00welcome to India today this is a quick walkthrough of the Shri Kanti Rava Stadium which will be

00:07hosting the Nirat Chopra classic India's first major javelin competition on July 5 I am at the

00:14Shri Kanti Rava Stadium on the eve of the tournament and let's see how the preparations are going on

00:19there's not a lot of bus right now because it's late evening and I think people have come here

00:24brought that bought their tickets and have gone home already waiting for tomorrow there's a bit

00:29of sponsor work going on they're setting up their stalls and there in the in the in the in the right

00:35corner I don't think if you can read it but there is Karnataka Athletics Association which is also part

00:42of the event doesn't even part of the planning and all that I call along with IOC and JSW were the

00:48co co-hosts Nirat Chopra is also the organizer he will be competing tomorrow so some big big banners

00:58have been put up all through Bengaluru outside the airport it was put so it's gonna be fun here

01:04tomorrow on Saturday so you can see you know big banners of you know Julius Ego Thomas roller and

01:14Indian Sachin Yadav even the Sri Lankan Rumesh poster has been there this is the red carpet that they've put

01:21out it's it's it's it's it's vibe you know the vibe is good here at the Sri Kanti Rava Stadium let me just

01:27get inside you know one of the entrances of the stadium again again there is plenty of work going

01:34on here there have been I think this is a media room or something or this is the guest room and there is

01:41our man on a big poster Nirat Chopra so this is it Nirat Chopra classic official banner there have been

01:49plenty of sponsors Nirat spoke about you know the overwhelming response of the sponsor which is good

01:54for Indian athletics which is good for Indian sport you know it shows that cricket is not the only sport

02:00that can pool in money that can bring in money that is one hell of a poster the poster design has been good

02:06what do you reckon guys and this is where you know the Sri Kanti Rava Stadium the home of Bengaluru FC

02:13ISL football club is where the event will be held tomorrow again again the seating work is going on

02:19people are working 11th hour work is going on no one's getting a rest Nirat Chopra trained here a couple

02:27of hours ago it is good it is good fun here Nirat Chopra trained with a with a couple of other athletes

02:33Nirat was very particular about you know him not getting enough time to train and he found out

02:39he finally squeezed in some time on the eve of the event so that's great commitment from Nirat Chopra he

02:46said I am the host of this event I am the organizer of this event but my aim is on winning the event as

02:52well so you have to give credit to the man and this is this is the look of it this is where fans will be

03:00seated expect some at least five thousand to ten thousand fans coming here tomorrow because this

03:06event has been publicized quite well JSW and Neeraj along with Starsports have done well to you know

03:11publicize this event and for those who will be who will want to watch the event you can tune into

03:16how Starsports and those who want to follow the scores always india2day.in is there we bring you we

03:23try to bring you the best coverage from athletics not just cricket from the world of Indian athletics we've

03:29been doing all through the year with diamond leagues with all other athletics meetings and this is the

03:35track where you know the athletes run and let me just show you let me just quickly go to the place

03:42where the run-up starts and the throw and the markers have already been placed it starts from 75-80

03:48and it's there till world record you know the weather is good in Bangalore I spoke to Julius Yego

03:53the Kenyan legend in the morning he said the weather is good for big throws who knows who knows tomorrow

03:59a couple of them you know Julius Yego Thomas roller and Neeraj Chopra all three of them have 90 plus

04:05throws Neeraj achieved it only earlier this year so it's gonna be fun the grass turf is under renovation

04:12please don't walk but I've got permission from JSW so I'm just gonna walk and show you how it's all shaping up

04:19okay let me quickly go to the runway now it's already becoming a four-minute video and there is another

04:25beautifully the stands have been done beautifully you can see from here how it's all looking so it's

04:32gonna be fun tomorrow there is plenty of last-minute work going on I think the organizers are leaving no

04:39stone unturned to get things in order Neeraj was very particular about this event becoming a success

04:45so they were dancers there is a show that is going to happen before the tournament starts and this is

04:52the runway where the athletes will run and there I think you have to kick that the foul line is here

05:01where people are standing and then the huge huge field where the throws will happen I'll just show

05:08you I'll just quickly walk across and show you how it looks there's that giant screen which I think will

05:14host a couple of good musical shows before the tournament starts this is the huge V the javelin

05:21V this is the top of the Bengaluru FC football club and a lot of you know this has a this ground has

05:30plenty of history there you can see the Westblock Blues stands they are one of the passionate supporters

05:37they are plenty of them will be there tomorrow I think so it's gonna be fun yeah and there it is

05:43the V the V just keeps going on and on and on the V keeps going on and on and there we come to the 75

05:51meter mark you know it took me 40 45 seconds to walk this much it's a bit humid here but but I think

06:00from what you lose ago said there might be chances for a big throw so there the marking starts 75 there

06:08you have a line 80 85 and there comes the golden mark 90 and there is OR OR means Olympic record and it is

06:25currently held by Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan who's not going to be here tomorrow but he and Neeraj will

06:32have a showdown at the world athletic championships in Tokyo in September and this is the world record

06:37which is currently held by a man who is in Bengaluru for Neeraj Chopra classic Zelezny and Zelezny who's

06:45Neeraj's coach Neeraj was very proud that he was here for the event okay yes world record Olympic record

06:5390 85 80 75 I'm sure 85 will be crossed a lot of times tomorrow 90 I'm not sure yeah maybe 90 is not

07:04impossible Olympic record that is the mark that I don't know it it might be a little too difficult

07:10world record okay let's wait for it there will be a day when hopefully Neeraj crosses that mark thank

07:17you this is Akshay for India today

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