India unites to celebrate Tokyo 2020 Champions: Neeraj Chopra’s gold steals the show at felicitation ceremony

India’s Tokyo Olympics medal winners acquired a great welcome by the government in an astonishing felicitation ceremony carried at the Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announcing that their journey is a “tremendous story of solidity and sporting excellence”.

Gold medal-winning javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was the grabs the attention of all eyes in the delayed ceremony, carried a couple of hours after the seven podium finishers gave rise to their path out of the airport amid utter chaos.

Numerous fans stayed outside the airport to cheer wrestlers Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Bajrang Punia, boxer Lovlina Borgohain and the men’s hockey team, who came from Tokyo ahead in the day.

TOKYO 2020 FULL COVERAGE

Neeraj Chopra, Lovlina Borgohain, Bajrang Punia, Manpreet Singh and Ravi Kumar Dahiya grabbed the spotlight while the hockey teams sat in the beginning row during the ceremony.

At the felicitation ceremony, they were introduced gifts and shawls by the minister. Both the bronze-winning men’s hockey team and fourth-place ending women’s team cut cakes after entering at the hotel.

WHO SAID WHAT AT FELICITATION CEREMONY

NEERAJ CHOPRA

“Thank you all for the immense assistance. This gold medal is not just made for me but for the whole country. I have been traveling through with this medal in my pocket since then. I am unable to eat or sleep appropriately since then but everything stands fine when I stare at it.

“Competition was absolutely difficult, but keep in your mind that never get terrified by staring at your competitors. Just put on your 100% and don’t be scared of anybody. When I threw the javelin for the 2nd time, I believed it would be my fairest trial. My back and shoulders were paining after the tournament the next morning,” Neeraj Chopra, who was the final athlete to be felicitated, announces to a loud applause from everyone attending the Event.

 

RAVI KUMAR DAHIYA

“We began from our village and then we arrived to Delhi. When I look at how Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt bought medals in wrestling, I got motivated by that and expected to do the exact for my nation,” says Ravi Kumar Dahiya, who achieved the silver in wrestling to match Sushil’s 2012 feat.

MANPREET SINGH

“First of all I would like to thank the SAI, IOA because they assisted us during our tough moments. They told us just to concentrate on the tournament and ensured us of everything we desired for the Games. I would like to also thank every medal winner, exceptionally Neeraj Chopra,” said Manpreet Singh.

LOVLINA BORGOHAIN

“I feel precisely overwhelming after arriving back home. We perceived people back residence would be enjoying. We will maintain attempting and gaze to achieve more medals for India in the future.

BAJRANG PUNIA

“Thank you all for the love and appreciation we have received. It perceives like I have gained a victory again today. About the injury, it was my final trial so I expected to put on my all, I didn’t look after about the knee injury.”  says Bajrang Punia, who won the bronze in wrestling for Team India.

ANURAG THAKUR

“This evening is for the Olympians who have earned respect and make India proud. I would like you all to applaud for them. On behalf of 130 crore Indians, I would like to salute our Olympians. We are extremely proud of you.

KIREN RIJIJU

“There is nothing enormous than the Olympics. From the whole country, I would like to thank all our athletes and medal winners. These are the times where you cannot express in phrases, you can only feel it.

“From the Prime Minister to every kid in the nation, the whole country was applauding for India. The whole country was behind our Olympians. Thank you for unifying the country, we are all proud of what you all have earned.

“We had a bunch of other stuff equipped for you all before the Games, from food to everdowning you desired we had prepared but COVID-19 lay down our plans,” says former Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.

PR SREEJESH

“We are all like a family, when we arrive back with the medals it is for the whole country. I would like to name Savita Punia the Great Wall of India because she earned the title for the saves she earned. Unfortunately, they could not gain the medal but made the whole country delighted,” says Sreejesh.