KOLKATA : Indian long jump athlete Murali Sreeshankar said on Saturday that he feels excited for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024 because he has gained a lot of experience and some medals ahead of the multi-sport extravaganza.
The 24-year-old, who won the silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 and the Asian Games in Hangzhou held last year, also has competed in the Diamond League competition, one of the top-most events in athletics.
Speaking to the ANI at the RevSportz’s Trailblazers 2.0 Conclave on Friday, Murali said, “Very excited this time (for Paris Olympics). It is different from last time, since during the Tokyo Olympics, I was just a beginner. Everything was new to me. But heading towards Paris is a bit different since I have got the Diamond League experience and a couple of medals to back me up. My world ranking and performance is pretty solid right now. So, I am aiming to put up a big shot at Paris, do the best for my country and win medals.”
Murali also said that world champion Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal in javelin throw in the Paris Olympics is an inspiration to Indian athletes and gives them a reminder that they can win any prestigious medal.
“It has led to a huge shift in our mindset (Neeraj’s medal). Neeraj winning the gold medal showed us that we could win a prestigious medal. We consider Neeraj a huge source of inspiration and a big brother. It has motivated me quite a lot. He motivates us a lot when we meet. It is just that we have to be in our best possible mindset,” said Sreeshankar. (ANI)