Neeraj Chopra to Train in Finland Ahead of Diamond League

Neeraj Chopra takes a break during training.

Image: SAI

India’s only Olympic Gold medallist in Javelin, Neeraj Chopra, is set to travel to Finland now. The ace athlete, who had been training in Turkey up until now, will be going to Finland's Kuortane Olympic Training Centre ahead of the Diamond League.

Neeraj, who is currently training at Turkey's Gloria Sports Arena, is scheduled to fly out on 26 May and would train in Finland's Kuortane Olympic Training Centre till 22 June.

Over there he will join India’s ace Paralympic Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia. The camp in Finland will be for 28 days and has been approved by the Government of India under the TOPS Scheme.

From Kuortane, Neeraj will then head out to Turku to participate in the Paavo Nurmi Games, followed by Kuortane Games and then Diamond League in Stockholm.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has also reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to ensure that Neeraj and his team do not face any issues during their stay in Finland and the MEA in their response has also assured SAI that the Indian Embassy in Helsinki would be available for any assistance if required.

The four-week (28 days) training camp has been sanctioned by the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and would cost the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) Rs. 9.8 lakhs approximately.

The finance would be used towards expenditure for Neeraj and his coach Klaus Bartonietz's travel, accommodation, training, local travel, and daily out-of-pocket allowance among other expenditures.