What unites javelin star Neeraj Chopra and badminton ace P V Sindhu? Besides success on the Olympic stage, the two Indian sporting icons have one more thing in common - their pet dogs!
Named after the editions of the Olympics that brought them glory, Chopra's golden retriever Tokyo, a gift from India's first Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, and Sindhu's Rio keep the duo in high spirits in the middle of their hectic schedules.
"Tokyo has become very naughty off late, I showed (Abhinav) sir his photograph earlier. You can't leave him alone, he triggers chaos," the javelin Olympic champion shared.
Chopra adds that Tokyo is now a permanent resident at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala - his training base when he is in India.
"I don't leave him at home because I am not around most of the time. He stays most of the time at NIS now and comes running with me when I train. We have to tire him out otherwise he'll sneak around chewing something or the other and kicking up a storm," he added.
Sindhu is currently in the middle of a hectic competition schedule, recently winning the Swiss Open in Basel. Meanwhile, her parents have been tasked with taking care of her labrador Rio.
"Sindhu loves dogs and she's left hers with us. My wife is not particularly fond of dogs; she is a little scared actually. Due to COVID, I don't accompany Sindhu as often as I used to and that's worked out because I am now on dog-walking duty," her father PV Ramana said.
Ramana adds that the family plans to enlist the help of a trainer to help exercise the hyperactive one-year-old.
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