Switzerland: Neeraj Chopra, India’s celebrated javelin thrower and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, once again displayed his remarkable talent as he claimed victory in the men’s javelin throw event at the Lausanne Diamond League 2023 in Switzerland. This triumph marks his second consecutive win after his successful campaign in the season-opening Doha leg.
Chopra’s winning throw came on his fifth attempt of the evening, reaching an impressive distance of 87.66 meters. The Lausanne meet served as the second competition for the Indian athlete this season, following his triumph at the Doha Diamond League. Unfortunately, Chopra had to withdraw from three events in June, including the FBK Games, Paavo Nurmi Games, and Ostrava Golden Spike, due to a muscle strain sustained during training.
Expressing his feelings after the event, Chopra stated, “I was feeling a bit nervous coming back from an injury. It was a bit cold here tonight. I am still far from my best, but I feel it is getting better. I am relieved that it’s coming together well for me. A win is a win, and I will take that happily.”
Competing at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Chopra encountered a slight setback with a foul on his first attempt. Germany’s Julian Weber initially set the benchmark with a throw of 86.20 meters. However, Chopra swiftly rose to the occasion, registering an 83.52-metre effort with his second throw, propelling him to third place.
With his third throw, Chopra soared to second place by recording a distance of 85.04 meters. Although his fourth attempt was a miss, the Indian champion seized the top spot with an impressive 87.66-metre throw in his penultimate attempt, ultimately securing the victory. Weber’s final throw of 87.03 meters placed him in second position, while Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist and current world leader, finished third with an 86.13-metre mark.
Unfortunately, reigning world javelin champion Anderson Peters from Grenada struggled throughout the competition and settled for fifth place with a throw of 82.23 meters.
As a result of his top-place finish, Neeraj Chopra earned an additional eight qualification points from the Lausanne leg. With a total of 16 points from his two outings, the Indian athlete currently leads the 2023 Diamond League qualification rankings in the men’s javelin throw.
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