Newly-crowned World Champion and World Number One Neeraj Chopra finished second in men’s javelin event in Zurich Diamond League on Friday. The Indian star javelin thrower secured a throw of 85.71m in his last attempt and finished behind Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch. He covered a distance of 85.86m.
Newly-crowned world champion @Neeraj_chopra1 finishes second in men's javelin event in Zurich Diamond💎League. #ZurichDL pic.twitter.com/KDBXWNRSRS
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) September 1, 2023
With this throw, Neeraj also qualified for the Diamond League Final in Eugene scheduled to be held in September this year. However, Neeraj Chopra’s winning streak in the 2023 season came to an end with this result.
Neeraj Chopra is India ace javelin athlete and his best throw is 89.94m, a national record. He was heading into the Zurich meet with wins at the Diamond League legs in Doha and Lausanne before clinching a historic gold at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Post the win, Neeraj expressed his happiness, stating everyone gave their 100% post a tiring World Championships. “For this competition here, my focus was to just stay healthy, and we have to focus now for Eugene (Diamond League Final) and then the Asian Games,” he said.
Neeraj added that his focus is to stay healthy. “Sometimes we need to read our body. Today, I feel OK, I am 100 percent OK, but I did not push too much. Sometimes, our No. 1 goal is to stay healthy. Today I gave it my best, but still with the focus to stay healthy,” he shared.
Neeraj Chopra’s marks at Zurich Diamond League 2023: 80.79m, No mark, No mark, 85.22m, No mark, 85.71m
Athletes are awarded points instead of medals for competing in each leg of the Diamond League series. The top six athletes in each event at the end of all the legs will qualify for the Diamond League Final in Eugene in September.
Neeraj Chopra had already sealed his place in the finals coming into the Zurich meet.