Neeraj Chopra Secures Diamond League Victory with Impressive Performance
Chopra Triumphs in Diamond League
Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, an Olympic medalist, has claimed his first Diamond League title in two years, surpassing German competitor Julian Weber without needing to exceed the 90-meter mark in a competitive field.
The 27-year-old athlete secured the title late Friday night with an initial throw of 88.16 meters, competing against five other athletes who have also crossed the 90-meter threshold.
Chopra's second throw reached 85.10 meters, but he fouled on his next three attempts before finishing with a final throw of 82.89 meters.
Weber finished in second place with an opening throw of 87.88 meters, while Brazil's Luiz Mauricio Da Silva took third with a throw of 86.62 meters in his third attempt.
Chopra expressed his satisfaction with his performance, stating, 'I am happy with my throw... My run-up was really fast today. I can’t control my speed, but I’m pleased with the result and my first position.' The Haryana native has previously won gold and silver medals in consecutive Olympic Games.
His last Diamond League title was in Lausanne in June 2023, where he achieved a throw of 87.66 meters. Since then, he has finished second in six Diamond League events.
This victory marks his first in the Paris leg of the prestigious series, having last competed there in 2017 as a junior world champion, where he finished fifth with a throw of 84.67 meters.
Looking ahead, Chopra mentioned, 'I will compete in Ostrava (Golden Spike athletic meet) after four days on June 24. So I need some recovery.' His upcoming schedule also includes the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, a World Athletics category A event that he is hosting.
Earlier this season, Chopra surpassed the 90-meter mark in Doha on May 16, achieving a throw of 90.23 meters for a second-place finish, while Weber won that event with a final throw of 91.06 meters.
'I’m hoping for more 90-meter throws because I broke that barrier in Doha. I believe I can do it again... But it depends on the weather and how my body feels; hopefully, I will throw far this season,' he added.
Weber had previously defeated Chopra at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial meet on May 23 in Poland, where both athletes performed below their best due to chilly and overcast conditions.
In Paris, Chopra and Weber were joined by three other athletes who have previously achieved 90-meter throws: Kenya's 2015 world champion Julius Yego, Trinidad and Tobago's 2012 Olympic gold medalist Keshorn Walcott, and Grenada's Anderson Peters.
Walcott finished fourth with a throw of 81.66 meters, while Peters and Yego took fifth and sixth places with throws of 80.29 meters and 80.26 meters, respectively.