One of India’s top batters Rishabh Pant today announced that he will be giving Rs100,089 (approximately Dh4,300) to a “lucky winner” if Neeraj Chopra scores a gold in the Javelin throw at the Paris Olympics tomorrow, in a post on X.
The prize money of Rs100,089 is an ode to Chopra’s qualifying 89.34-metre throw.
Pant said that while one person would be getting the sum for liking the tweet and commenting, 10 others would be getting flight tickets to support athletes who are representing India at the big games in Paris.
The batter says that this is his attempt to get support for his “brother” from “India and outside”.
India’s javelin hero Neeraj Chopra underlined his claim as the favourite with a single throw on Tuesday, launching his Olympic title defence with 89.34 metres in qualification.
He delivered India’s first athletics gold three years ago and looked ready to bring home more hardware with the farthest throw of the day and his best of the season.
“It was a good throw. Maybe the biggest ever in qualifying for me. All the throwers look in good shape,” he said.
“I know I have not reached my peak. I am not yet as good as I would like to be technically or in distance, so I want to improve and throw further. And I want to set an example for other Indian athletes so that we can compete here with the best.”
(With inputs from Reuters)