Zurich, Aug 27: Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra looks ready to reclaim the Diamond League trophy with another impressive 90m performance, which has been a standout achievement this season as the renowned 14-leg series concludes on Thursday.
Chopra participated in two out of the four Diamond League meetings featuring the men's javelin throw, finishing fourth on the qualifying list with 15 points for the Finals. He opted out of the Silesia and Brussels legs on August 16 and August 22, having last claimed the DL trophy in 2022. The top six athletes in the points standings from these meetings secure places in the Finals.
As the Diamond League Final spans across two days, 32 events for men and women are scheduled. On Wednesday, six events, including men's and women's pole vault, shot put, men's long jump, and women's high jump, will take place as street events in Zurich's Sechselautenplatz. The remaining events will unfold inside the Letzigrund Stadium on Thursday.
The winners of each event at the Diamond League Final will be declared this year's champions, receiving a prestigious DL trophy, prize money between USD 30,000 and USD 50,000, and wild card entries for next month's World Championships in Tokyo.
Anticipation surrounds the men's javelin as Tokyo Olympics gold medallist and Paris Games silver winner Neeraj Chopra will face off against defending champion Anderson Peters from Grenada and Germany's Julian Weber in a thrilling finale featuring seven competitors. Kenya's 2015 world champion Julius Yego, Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott, and Moldova's Andrian Mardare made it as the top-6 in the points table, with Switzerland's own Simon Wieland added as the host country's contender.
Despite not being in peak form recently, Peters—also a two-time world champion—posted a season's best of 85.64m when placing third in Doha. Meanwhile, Weber achieved the year's longest throw of 91.06m, besting Chopra at the Doha DL on May 16. However, Chopra broke the elusive 90m mark there with a 90.23m throw, although he ultimately placed second behind Weber. The 27-year-old Indian star later triumphed in the Paris leg on June 20 with an 88.16m throw, while Weber settled for second with 87.88m.
Chopra's outstanding 90.23m throw from the Doha DL remains the third-longest of the season. Luiz Mauricio Da Silva holds the second longest mark at 91m, despite not qualifying for the DL Final. To date, only three javelin throwers reached the 90m milestone this season.
At his last competition, the NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, Chopra hosted and clinched victory with a throw of 86.18m. The ongoing rivalry between Chopra and the 30-year-old Weber—each taking turns finishing first and second in the two DL clashes this season—sets up an enticing battle for supremacy.
This year has been pivotal for Chopra, who finally achieved the long-sought 90m throw early in the season. Additionally, he fulfilled a personal dream of hosting a high-quality event with local fans at the NC Classic on July 5 in Bengaluru.
On Thursday, Chopra aims to regain the DL Trophy he previously won in 2022. He finished as runner-up in 2023 and 2024 behind Czech Republic's Jakub Vadlejch and Grenada's Peters, respectively. A victory here would provide an ideal preparation and morale boost as he seeks to defend his World Championships title in Tokyo next month, where the competition will be even fiercer.
Quest for Technical Improvement:
Chopra clinched the NC Classic title under challenging windy conditions. Last month, he mentioned working with legendary coach Jan Zelezny to refine his technique. "There are specific areas in my training to improve, including the run-up, throwing straight, and focusing on blocking legs," he noted. "I need greater control during my throws, as I often drift left too quickly. I aim to throw towards the front, leading with the chest, and allow the javelin to ascend. We're diligently working on this."
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