Inspired By Neeraj Chopra, Murali Sreeshankar Aims To Medal At World Athletics Championships 2023

Murali Sreeshankar will be aiming for his first medal at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest that starts on August 19. Sreeshankar is a big medal hope for India in men's long jump and has the opportunity to clinch India's second medal at the Worlds after Anju Bobby George, who won it back in 2003. A Kobe Bryant fan, Sreeshankar also draws inspiration from good frind and India's Olympics champion in men's javelin Neeraj Chopra.

Also Read | Neeraj Chopra At World Athletics Championships 2023: India Squad, Schedule, Timings, Livestreaming; All You Need To Know

Speaking to JioCinema, Sreeshankar said that Neeraj's medals are a big motivation while there is a lot to learn from the kind of person he is. "The inspiration not only comes from the resume of medals he has but also from the type of person he is, he is always motivating and inspiring a lot of athletes. He will reach out to all the athletes after their competition if they perform really well or not well, he is always supporting and encouraging all the athletes and when it comes from such a big personality, such a big character like Neeraj Chopra – it’s a very big motivation for all the athletes to perform well," said Sreeshankar. 

Next stop- Lausanne DL.#onwardsandupwards @Media_SAI @IIS_Vijayanagar @jswsports @FranceinIndia @E_Lenain
(3/3) pic.twitter.com/GSPX0icuIN— Sreeshankar Murali (@SreeshankarM) June 20, 2023

The long jumper, who is also a Asian Athletics Championships Silver Medal winner, said that Neeraj shares his experience whenever he meets him and that comes to a lot of help. "So that’s a very good thing for developing athletes like me and the others to get insightful knowledge about how to adjust to conditions, how the food and weather is and to get that sort of insight and information from an athlete like Neeraj Chopra that will really help us a lot in our own sport and in our own ways and he is a very simple and down to earth person and is always ready to share his experience, insights and his knowledge with us. So that’s very nice of him and very good for all of us," said Sreeshankar.