Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra went on to script history once again by winning the Diamond League title for the first time as an Indian. Earlier, the 24- year old player couldn’t continue in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games to a “minor” groin injury that he developed during the World Championships in the previous month.
Chopra took a rest for a month but returned more potent this time. His throw of 89.08m was the third-best throw of his career. His second-best throw was 85.18m before the third attempt. His fourth throw was a foul whereas he passes the fifth attempt. On the sixth attempt, he threw the javelin to 80.04m distance.
Neeraj Chopra is from Khadra village near Panipat in Haryana and he became the first Indian who won a Diamond League crown. Prior to him, discus thrower Vikas Gowda was the only Indian who finished in the top three in the Diamond League Meet. Gowda had finished in the second position twice, Once in New York in 2012 and in Doha in 2014. He also finished third on two occasions, in Shanghai and Eugene in 2015.
What Neeraj Chopra has to say on his win?
“I am delighted with my result tonight. 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,”
The youngster had qualified for the League finals in Zurich on September 7 and 8. Despite the win, he was in the fourth spot with only 15 points. The top six after Lausanne’s leg will qualify for the Zurich finals.
Vadlejch was in the first position with 27 points, the second spot was taken by Julian Weber with 19 points followed by Anderson Peters of Grenada at 16 points.
Thompson and Patriks Galiums from Latvia qualified for the Zurich Finals. Every Indian has now their eyes laid on Chopra as he also qualified for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary by surpassing the 85.20m qualifying mark.
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