Neeraj Chopra, who recently won a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships, secured second place in the Zurich Diamond League. He achieved a best throw of 85.71m, narrowly behind Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic.
In the competition, Chopra began with an 80.79m throw in his first attempt. Unfortunately, he committed fouls in his second and third attempts, temporarily dropping him to fifth place. Julian Weber from Germany was leading at that point.
However, Chopra made a comeback with an 85.22m throw in his fourth attempt, propelling him to second place behind Vadlejch. Despite another foul in his fifth attempt, he maintained his second position. In his final attempt, Chopra threw a distance of 85.71m, coming close to surpassing Vadlejch’s best attempt of 85.86m.
During the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest, Hungary, Chopra made history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal. He achieved this remarkable feat with a throw of 88.17m in the men’s javelin final. Chopra’s excellent performance in the qualifying round also secured his qualification for the Paris Olympics 2024.
Prior to his gold-winning performance in 2023, Chopra had already earned a historic silver medal at the Oregon World Championships in 2022. This marked India’s second medal at the World Athletics Championships, following Anju Bobby George’s bronze in 2003. Chopra has consistently showcased impressive performances.
In May 2023, he claimed first place in the Doha Diamond League with a throw of 88.67m. Additionally, he reached the top spot in the men’s javelin throw rankings published by World Athletics for the first time in the same month. With his gold medal at the World Athletics Championships, the 25-year-old Chopra has now secured gold at every major international event.
His second-place finish in the Zurich Diamond League further solidifies Neeraj’s successful streak in Diamond League competitions. He previously won the Diamond League final in 2022 in the same city with a throw of 88.44m. Continuing his outstanding form into 2023, he triumphed in Doha and followed it up with a victory in Lausanne, throwing a distance of 87.67m.
