For Neeraj Chopra, the elusive 90m mark remains just out of reach, despite a remarkable string of performances this season. In the past fortnight alone, Neeraj has shattered his season best three times, yet the magical distance continues to evade him. However, the focus should shift from this elusive target to his extraordinary comeback at the Lausanne Diamond League 2024 on Thursday.
Neeraj Chopra claims second spot in Diamond League
The two-time Olympic medalist javelin thrower clinched second place, surpassing Germany's Julian Weber with a spectacular final throw of 89.49m, just shy of the top spot. This throw was four centimeters longer than his silver-winning effort at the Paris Olympics, just weeks earlier. In Lausanne, this impressive throw placed him behind Grenada's Anderson Peters, who set a new meeting record with a throw of 90.61m, breaking Keshorn Walcott’s nine-year-old record of 90.16m.
Peters led the javelin event from start to finish, consistently improving his mark with each attempt. Neeraj, on the other hand, faced a challenging start and was at risk of falling out of the top three before making a stunning late surge.
At 26, Neeraj Chopra was in fourth place heading into the fourth round but dramatically changed his fortunes with a throw of 85.58m in his fifth attempt. This put him in third, surpassing Ukraine's Artur Felfner, and secured his spot in the final round alongside Julian Weber and Anderson Peters.
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As the last thrower based on standings, Chopra needed a standout performance to climb the rankings—and he delivered. Mirroring the throw that won him gold at the Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj unleashed a powerful javelin launch. Ignoring his stumble near the white line, he watched as the javelin soared close to 90m, ultimately landing at 89.49m. This season-best effort earned him second place at the Lausanne Diamond League.
Feeling so bad for Neeraj Chopra 💔
90m will come for sure .
Neeraj was nowhere close to his best in 1st 5 throws gave his all in at 6th throw with SB of 89.49m !!
Common Neeraj 90m will come for sure !!#NeerajChopra #DiamondLeague #Javelin pic.twitter.com/Omuoapm3gK
— Ram kapoor🇮🇳 (@Ram1947_) August 22, 2024
Neeraj Chopra, despite his remarkable performance, was visibly disappointed. A cry of frustration escaped him as he came to terms with the fact that the top spot and the elusive 90m mark had once again slipped away.
Anderson Peter's heartwarming gesture towards Chopra
Watching closely, Anderson Peters breathed a sigh of relief, then approached Chopra with a broad smile and a heartfelt hug. Julian Weber also extended his congratulations, recognizing their ongoing rivalry in javelin finals over the past four years. With his second-place finish, Chopra now sits in a tie for third place with Weber in the Diamond League standings, each with 15 points, while Peters leads with 21 points. Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch, who placed seventh in Lausanne with a throw of 82.03m, holds second place with 16 points.
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Chopra had confirmed his participation in the Lausanne Diamond League meeting just days before, with a decision on potential surgery deferred until after the season. He was the Diamond League champion in 2022 and finished second to Vadlejch in the final last year in Eugene, USA.
This season’s Diamond League final is scheduled for September 14 in Brussels. Chopra needs to secure a top-six finish in the Diamond League series to qualify for the finale. The next opportunity for points will be at the Zurich Diamond League meeting on September 5, which includes a men’s javelin event.
