Neeraj Chopra narrowly misses 90m mark, secures 2nd place at Lausanne Diamond League
PTC News Desk: Neeraj Chopra delivered a determined performance at the Lausanne Diamond League on Thursday, August 22, finishing in 2nd place with a season-best throw of 89.49 meters. Despite not being at his absolute best, the Indian javelin star demonstrated his resilience by producing his best throw in the final round, narrowly missing the coveted 90-meter mark. Anderson Peters dominated the event, breaking the meeting record with a throw of 90.61 meters to secure first place.
Both Neeraj Chopra and Jakub Vadlejch struggled with the conditions in Lausanne. Vadlejch, the 2023 Diamond Trophy winner, finished in a disappointing 7th place. Neeraj began the competition with a throw of 82.10 meters, which placed him in 4th position after the first round. Anderson Peters had taken an early lead with an impressive throw of 86.36 meters, while Vadlejch appeared to struggle from the outset.
In his second attempt, Neeraj improved to 83.21 meters, moving back into the top three. Meanwhile, Peters extended his lead with an 88.49-meter throw, followed closely by Julian Weber of Germany with an 87.08-meter effort. As a result, Neeraj slipped to 4th place, just behind Ukraine's Artur Felfner, who threw 83.38 meters.
Neeraj's third throw was 83.13 meters, keeping him in the top four but still below his usual standards. His fourth throw of 82.34 meters saw him remain in the same position. In the fifth round, Neeraj managed to throw 85.58 meters, climbing back into the top three. However, in the final round, Anderson Peters shattered the meeting record with a throw of 90.61 meters, while Neeraj saved his best for last with an 89.49-meter throw, moving into second place ahead of Weber, who finished third.
Neeraj's throw of 89.49 meters was his second-best career performance, surpassing his 89.45-meter throw at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
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Neeraj Chopra's series of throws in Lausanne: 82.10m, 83.21m, 83.13m, 82.34m, 85.58m, 89.49m.
Neeraj Chopra has consistently excelled in Lausanne, winning the Diamond League event in 2022 with a throw of 87.66 meters and topping the podium again in 2023 with an 89.08-meter effort. His second-place finish in the 2024 Lausanne Diamond League event has propelled him into the top three in the Diamond League standings for the current season.
Chopra was previously in fourth place with 7 points after securing second place in Doha earlier in the year. He won the Diamond Trophy in 2022 and finished as the runner-up in 2023. He is expected to compete in Zurich on September 5, with the Diamond League final in Brussels scheduled for September 13-14.
Notably, the field in Lausanne was missing Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic champion, but included other prominent competitors like Paris Olympics bronze medalist Anderson Peters and Germany’s Julian Weber. Neeraj Chopra aimed to return to his best form after being dethroned as the Olympic champion in Paris, where he secured a silver medal with a throw of 89.45 meters, finishing behind Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem.
Neeraj was initially expected to take a long break to consider surgery for a lingering groin injury, which had impacted his performance at the Olympics, where he managed just one legal throw out of six attempts. However, he made an earlier-than-anticipated return to compete in Lausanne, postponing any decision regarding surgery until after the season ends.
At the Paris Olympics, Neeraj became the first Indian athlete to win multiple Olympic medals in track and field, adding a silver to his gold from Tokyo. However, the world champion was not satisfied with his performance, emphasizing the need to break the elusive 90-meter barrier. Arshad Nadeem’s Olympic record throw of 92.97 meters added pressure on Neeraj, who has consistently aimed to excel on the global stage.
Reflecting on his performance, Neeraj said, “It was probably the day for a 90m throw. It was needed as well. I haven’t thought about it (the 90m throw) that much. But, it is coming to my mind now. I gave it my all,” following the Paris Olympics final.
As Neeraj gears up for the upcoming competitions, he remains focused on reclaiming the Diamond Trophy. With his impressive showing in Lausanne, a venue that has often brought him success, he is well-positioned to continue his pursuit of excellence in the sport of javelin.
- With inputs from agencies
