India’s celebrated javelin throw champion, Neeraj Chopra, a recipient of two Olympic medals, has successfully secured his spot in the upcoming finale of the esteemed Diamond League, set for this month, after claiming the fourth position in the standings at the culmination of its 14-series global meets.
Scheduled to unfold over September 13 and 14 in Brussels, the high-profile event will witness Chopra entering the fray with 14 points gathered from impressive second-place finishes at the meets in Doha and Lausanne.
Opting out of the final series event in Zurich last Thursday, the 26-year-old athlete finds himself just two points behind Jakub Vadlech from Czechia. Leading the pack are Anderson Peters of Grenada and Germany’s Julian Weber with 29 and 21 points respectively, with Peters having secured a win over Weber in the Zurich meet.
Chopra, who clinched a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and added a silver to his accomplishments at last month’s Paris edition, has faced some fitness hurdles throughout the season due to a persistent groin injury. This injury, according to Chopra, has been a significant impediment in his quest to breach the 90m mark, a milestone that has eluded him till now.
Despite these challenges, he showcased remarkable skill at the Lausanne Diamond Leg, securing a second-place finish after Peters, who achieved a throw of 90.61m. Notably, at the Paris Olympics, it was Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem who bagged the gold with an exceptional throw of 92.97m.
Addressing his immediate priorities, Chopra emphasized the importance of addressing his groin injury to achieve full fitness and improving technically to enhance his throwing distance.
Chopra’s track record includes victories at the Lausanne leg in both 2022 and 2023, and a second-place finish behind Vadlejch at last year’s grand finale in Eugene, USA.
Winners of each Diamond League season finale are honored with the coveted “Diamond Trophy,” a cash prize of USD 30,000, and a wild card entry into the World Athletics Championships.