Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra secured the second position in the Diamond League final. The competition took place at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich on Thursday, August 28th. While the entire nation had their eyes on the star athlete, Chopra was unable to claim the Diamond League title this year, with Germany’s Julian Weber taking the victory. Chopra had won the Diamond League in 2022, bringing pride to the country. This marks his third consecutive time as runner-up, following placements in 2023 and 2024.
Chopra struggled in this year’s competition, experiencing three fouls. His best throw in the final reached 85.01 meters, while Weber’s winning throw was 91.51 meters. Chopra competed against six other athletes in the final. His first attempt was not impressive, achieving a throw of only 84.35 meters. In contrast, Julian Weber of Germany took the lead with a throw of 91.37 meters on his first attempt, further improving with a second throw of 91.51 meters.
Chopra’s second throw covered a shorter distance than his first, reaching 82.00 meters. Subsequently, Chopra’s next three attempts resulted in fouls. His third attempt was a foul, followed by fouls in the fourth and fifth attempts. In his sixth attempt, Chopra rallied and delivered a throw of 85.01 meters. This effort propelled him to second place, surpassing Keshorn Walcott. This became Chopra’s best throw of the competition.
Neeraj Chopra’s Attempts:
1. First Throw: 84.35 meters
2. Second Throw: 82.00 meters
3. Third Throw: Foul
4. Fourth Throw: Foul
5. Fifth Throw: Foul
6. Sixth Throw: 85.01 meters
Best Throws of All Athletes:
1. Julian Weber (Germany): 91.51 meters
2. Neeraj Chopra (India): 85.01 meters
3. Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago): 84.95 meters
4. Anderson Peters (Grenada): 82.06 meters
5. Julius Yego (Kenya): 82.01 meters
6. Andrian Mardare (Moldova): 81.81 meters
7. Simon Wietz (Switzerland): 81.29 meters
Chopra is rightly considered a maestro of javelin throwing. His name is synonymous with the sport in India. He won a gold medal in the javelin throw at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, earning him the title ‘Golden Boy’. Furthermore, he secured a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Chopra was the first Indian to win the Diamond League final at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich in 2022.
