SPARKLING FORM GIVES CHOPRA DIAMOND LEAGUE WIN
OLYMPIC champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra last Friday (26) became the first Indian to clinch a Diamond League Meeting title after topping the Lausanne leg of the prestigious series.
Chopra, 24, who had pulled out of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games due to a “minor” groin injury he suffered while winning a silver during the World Championships last month, hurled the spear to 89.08m in his first attempt to seal the win.
The athlete was out of action for a month, but it looked like the injury had not happened at all as he continued his vintage form.
The 89.08m throw was his third career-best effort. His second throw measured 85.18m before he passed on his third attempt. His fourth throw was a foul while he again passed his fifth attempt before coming up with 80.04m in the sixth and last round.
Chopra qualified for the Diamond League Finals in Zurich next Wedneday (7) and next Thursday (8), also becoming the first Indian to do so. Despite the Lausanne win, he remained fourth with 15 points, with the addition of eight points last Friday. The top six after the Lausanne leg qualify for the Zurich Finals.
“I am delighted with my result – 89m is a great performance. I am specially pleased as I am coming back from an injury and tonight was a good indicator that I have recovered well,” Chopra said after the event. “I had to skip Commonwealth Games due to injury and I was a bit nervous. Tonight has given me a lot of confidence to finish the season on a high, with a strong performance in Zurich.”
Jakub Vadlejch, the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist, finished second with a best throw of 85.88m while Curtis Thompson of the US was third with 83.72m.
Before Chopra, discus thrower Vikas Gowda was the only Indian to have finished in the top three in a Diamond League Meet. Gowda had finished second twice – in New York in 2012 and in Doha in 2014 – and third in Shanghai and Eugene in 2015.
Vadlejch remained in top spot with 27 points, followed by Julian Weber (19 points) of Germany and world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada (16 points). Weber and Peters did not take part in Lausanne.
Chopra also qualified for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, by breaching the 85.20m qualifying mark.