Neeraj Chopra Triumphs at Paris Diamond League, Receives Praise from Indian Sports Stars
Neeraj Chopra's Remarkable Victory
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 21: Shikhar Dhawan, a former Indian opener, along with pacer Ishant Sharma, celebrated Neeraj Chopra's impressive win at the Paris Diamond League on Friday.
Chopra showcased his prowess on the international stage, clinching the Paris Diamond League title with an impressive first-round throw of 88.16 meters. Although he had three no-marks in subsequent rounds, his initial throw was sufficient to secure his lead throughout the event.
Dhawan expressed his pride on X, stating, "What a champion. What a moment. So proud of you, @Neeraj_chopra1 for clinching the Paris Diamond League title with a huge 88.16m throw in the very first round!"
https://x.com/SDhawan25/status/1936411334364762447
Ishant Sharma also congratulated Chopra, saying, "Congratulations to @Neeraj_chopra1 on winning the Paris Diamond League with a massive 88.16m throw. Thank you for making the country proud!"
https://x.com/ImIshant/status/1936354487293366730
Dinesh Karthik, a former Indian wicketkeeper-batter, praised Neeraj's consistency, calling him one of India's greatest athletes. He remarked, "He has to be one of, if not the greatest INDIAN athlete. What UNREAL consistency," on X.
https://x.com/DineshKarthik/status/1936312110813974702
Chopra set the competition's pace early with his first attempt of 88.16m, taking the lead right away. Germany's Julian Weber followed closely with a best throw of 87.88m, while Brazil's Mauricio Luiz da Silva secured third with 86.62m.
In the opening round, Chopra led, followed by Weber's 87.88m and Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott with 80.94m.
During the second round, Weber briefly took the spotlight with an 86.20m throw, while Neeraj recorded 85.10m, and Walcott improved to 81.66m. Nevertheless, Chopra's initial throw remained unmatched.
The third round saw Da Silva make his mark with a throw of 86.62m. Weber attempted to challenge with throws of 83.13m in the fourth and 84.50m in the fifth round, but he couldn't surpass the 88m mark. In the final round, Neeraj returned with a solid 82.89m, while Weber finished with 81.08m and Da Silva with 78.56m.
Despite some inconsistency in the middle rounds, Chopra's single legal throw in the first round was decisive, securing his victory.
The two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj is set to compete in the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic on July 5. This event was initially scheduled for May 24 but was postponed due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.