Lausanne, 1st July 2023: Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic champion, continued his outstanding form by securing his second Diamond League victory of the year in Lausanne on Friday. With a phenomenal throw of 87.66m during his fifth attempt, Chopra solidified his position at the top of the leaderboard. The event marked a triumphant return for Chopra, who had been sidelined with an injury since the Doha Diamond League on May 5, causing him to withdraw from both the FBK Games and Paavo Nurmi Games earlier this month.
The competition began with Germany’s Julian Weber taking an early lead with an impressive throw of 86.20m in his first attempt, while Chopra struggled to make an impact initially. Chopra’s second attempt also fell short of his usual standards, reaching a modest distance of 83.52m. As a result, Chopra found himself in an unfamiliar position, needing to catch up as the event progressed.
However, the pressure didn’t deter Chopra, who demonstrated his exceptional skill and composure when it mattered most. He achieved an 85.04m throw during his third attempt, propelling him into second place. In his fifth and crucial attempt, Chopra delivered an exceptional 87.66m throw, taking the lead and maintaining it until the end.
Both Weber and Jakub Vadlejch made valiant attempts to surpass Chopra’s mark in their final throws, with Weber reaching 87.03m and Vadlejch not far behind at 86.13m. However, their efforts fell short, allowing Chopra to secure his second Diamond League victory this year.
Reflecting on his performance, Chopra expressed his nervousness due to his recent injury and the chilly weather conditions in Lausanne. He acknowledged that he is still on the path to reaching his peak performance but expressed relief that things are progressing positively. Chopra humbly acknowledged his win, emphasizing the importance of seizing every opportunity and expressing gratitude for his achievement.
With two successful javelin events in the Diamond League this year, Chopra currently leads the standings with 16 points, followed by Vadlejch with 13 points and Weber with 12 points. The remaining three javelin events in the Diamond League are scheduled to take place in Monaco (July 21), Zurich (August 31), and Eugene (September 17).
While Chopra celebrated his victory, it was a challenging night for Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who finished fifth with a best jump of 7.88m. Sreeshankar currently holds the third position in the Diamond League long jump standings, but his 10 points thus far trail behind leader Mitliadis Tentoglou, who has accumulated an impressive 21 points.
As Neeraj Chopra continues to make his mark in the world of athletics, his recent triumph in Lausanne reinforces his status as one of the most talented and promising athletes in the field of javelin throwing.
