I have never compromised with my training: Devendra Jhajharia

Javelin-thrower Devendra Jhajharia, who became the first Indian para-athlete to win two medals at the Paralympic Games, talked to Rajesh Kalra, Chief Editor, Times Internet, on how he felt about breaking his own world record in Rio and how he was inspired by the great Milkha Singh.
Excerpts:
Rajesh Kalra: It is indeed a proud honour and a privilege for us to have with us Devendra Jhajharia, the man who has done India proud by winning his second gold medal in the Paralympics.He has returned to India at 3:30 this morning and this is his second gold medal, the last one was in 2004 in Athens, that was a world record and this time when he did it in the Paralympics at Rio that again was a world record. Welcome back as a proud son of India, Devendra. So proud to have you with us. When you were taking your final throw at Rio, what was going though your mind?
Devendra Jhajharia: When I picked up that javelin, I was determined to put all my power in it with full concentration and when I started with it, my speed and rhythm was something different, and when I threw it I knew it would be something special and that was really a special moment in my life.

RK: Yes, we could make that out, the way you expressed your happiness after the throw, you knew that the throw is very good and we also the saw the video when you jumped with joy after seeing on the screen that it's a world record. What was going through your mind at that moment?
DJ: After the throw, the result comes out in 15 seconds, but I felt it is taking around five minutes as I was very eager and couldn't wait for the result and when it came 63.97 I just couldn't believe that I had broken the world record by almost two metres.
RK: The last world record was also by you...
DJ: Yes, that was 12 years ago when I won the gold medal by breaking the world record at the Athens Paralympics. But the biggest thing is that a 35-year-old Devendra outshone a 23-year-old Devendra because a 23-year-old Devendra had broken the world record and his world record was broken by a 35-year-old Devendra, so it's the experience that counts.
RK: So what are the preparations that you have to make to not only to last but stay at the top especially in athletics for so many years? What is the secret of your fitness?
DJ: The biggest thing is discipline. Sleep on time, eat on time and train on time. I have never compromised with these three things in my life. At 23 years, my training was different from what it is at 35 years. At 23 years, Devendra didn't have the experience but he had great speed, but now I don't have that speed but have the experience. Then it was foreign training, I concentrated on fitness and reduced 7 kgs. I used to weigh 86-87 kgs but I was determined to compete at 79 kgs and the day I was to compete, my weight was 79 kgs.
Jhajharia next to the scoreboard that shows his world record in Rio. (AP Photo)
RK: Did you have the facilities and support by the government and the federation during training?
DJ: Yes, there was full support by the Sports Authority of India and I took full advantage of the TOP (Target Olympic Podium) Scheme. The money I got from the TOP Scheme, I used it for training in Finland that is the best training centre for javelin throw in the world. Julius Yego was there, Tero Pitkämäki was there, Braian (Toledo) of Argentina was there, we used to train together, they are all A-level athletes and Julius Yego has been a world champion, so I think the training atmosphere that I got there was fantastic.
RK: How is your interaction and relationship with your competitors from different countries? Is there competition or bonhomie?
DJ: I would like to say that the Chinese and the Sri Lankan who won the bronze medal, they are very close friends of mine. We go together to eat, we sit together and talk and it feels very good. The sportsman spirit was so good that after his throw, the Sri Lankan used my Moov spray and even applied some of it on me, so this was the kind of sportsman spirit that was there.
RK: After achieving so much, do you think that you have the respect that is due to a person who is a world record holder in the country, compared to other sportsmen, say cricketers and everybody?
DJ: When I broke the world record in 2004, I didn't get much response but today when I reached India, our Sports Minister, PCI President Rao Inderjit Singh saab, came to receive me at the airport, even the media was there, so I would say that a lot has changed and things will improve in the future.
RK: What are your other interests? What do you do when you don't practice?
DJ: When I am not training, I play and spend time with my daughter at home and on Sundays I take her to the park. Because of all the talk around her, she now knows quite a lot about javelin. So I talk a lot to her and like spending time with my family.
RK: What kind of music do you listen to?
DJ: I like listening to Indian songs, both old and new.
RK: You are a two-time gold medallist and an inspiration for everybody in the country and perhaps all over the world. What is your source of inspiration?
DJ: First of all I would like to say that one should not see how high he has risen, one should see how far he has gone. The biggest inspiration has been the great Milkha Singh. I have read about him in childhood, how he reached India, how he was recruited in the army and how he won all the races in the world and just unluckily missed out in the Olympics. How much he struggled; he didn't even have shoes, so I used to read about him and get inspired that if he can do it then I can also do it. Milkha Singh has been a big source of inspiration.