Neeraj Chopra's Diamond League Journey: A Close Call in Zurich

Neeraj Chopra's Performance at the Diamond League Finals

Zurich: Neeraj Chopra, the two-time Olympic medalist in javelin throw, secured the runner-up position at the Diamond League Finals for the third consecutive year. Julian Weber from Germany claimed his first title with impressive throws exceeding 90 meters during the event held on Thursday.

Chopra started strong with an opening throw of 84.35m but fell to third place by the fifth round. However, he managed to elevate his performance with a final throw of 85.01m, surpassing Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago, who finished third with a throw of 84.95m.

Weber's standout performance included a season-best throw of 91.57m, achieved in his second attempt. He began with a throw of 91.37m and dominated the competition, leaving his opponents far behind.

Despite his efforts, Chopra struggled to find his rhythm, completing only three valid throws out of six attempts. Known for consistently achieving throws over 88m, this was an unusual performance for the 27-year-old athlete.

Chopra aimed to reclaim the title he won in 2022 but ended up in second place again, following similar finishes in 2023 and 2024.

Defending champion Anderson Peters from Grenada finished fourth with a throw of 82.06m.

Chopra's throws included 84.35m, followed by 82m and a foul, placing him third at the halfway point. He fouled on his fourth and fifth attempts before finally reaching 85.01m on his last throw.

"This was not too bad. But we are getting very close to the world championships, so I still need to throw a little bit further. There were a few things that went well, but still, there were things that did not go that well," Chopra reflected post-event.

"In the last attempt, I still managed to throw 85. But I am very happy for Julian today – he managed to throw really far, and to show 91m was really good. We will see in three weeks.

"I still need to train a little bit. In this sport, we do not know. It depends on the day."

Chopra expressed optimism for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo, stating that everything would be different there. He mentioned his friendship with Weber and the support he would receive from friends in Tokyo.

"At major championships, the gold is more important than the far throws. So I will try my best to win the medal."

Weber's achievement marked his third throw over 90m this season and in his career. He had previously surpassed the 90m mark with a throw of 91.06m while winning the Doha Diamond League title.

Chopra also crossed the 90m threshold for the first time in Doha with a throw of 90.23m but finished second to Weber.

Now, Chopra is set to head to Tokyo for the World Championships next month, where he will defend his title.

Weber Leads in Head-to-Head Matchup

With his victory on Thursday, Weber improved his head-to-head record against Chopra to 3-1 this season. Earlier, he had bested Chopra in the Doha Diamond League and the ORLEN Janusz Kusocinski Memorial event in Poland.

Chopra had triumphed in the Paris Diamond League, with Weber finishing second.

Despite this season's results, Chopra maintains a significant lead in their overall head-to-head record, holding a 15-5 advantage since 2016.

Notably, Chopra has not finished outside the top two since June 2021. He missed the Silesia and Brussels legs of the Diamond League in August but qualified for the Finals with 15 points, securing a spot among the top six from four meetings.

Chopra participated in only two of the four Diamond League events featuring men's javelin throw, finishing second in Doha and winning in Paris. His last competition was the NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, where he won with a throw of 86.18m.