Though Golden Boy Neeraj Chopra missed the 90-metre mark for mere 6 centimetres at Stockholm Diamond League, he surpassed the national award that he had created himself within a span of one month.
The Champion athlete, all of 24, finished for the first time among the first three at the Stockholm Diamond League. In this particular event, he came second to world champion Anderson Peters who had the score of 90.31 metres.
At the Paavo Nurmi Games, earlier this year, Neeraj had bettered his own record with 89.30 metres. Now coming second to Adreson’s 90.31 metres, Chopra’s 89.94 metres broke his own national record.
At Stockholm, Chopra was ahead of the eight-man field in the first two rounds. However, he could not surpass Anderson who produced his third 90-metre throw of the season.
It was a typical start from Chopra at the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm – smooth on the runway and an easy release, the big tumble before the scratch line and then the raised hands after watching the javelin land.
Neeraj Chopra is in buyont form and raring to go to the World Championships to be held at Oregon in three weeks’ time. He has produced 84.37, 87.46, 84.77, 86.67 and 86.84 metres. Neeraj seems in command of himself and the discomfort of the previous event- the Kuortane Games, where he secured Gold with 86.69 metres is definetely behind him. Neeraj was seen wincing in pain at that event after a slip.
Germany’s Julian Weber came third with a throw of 89.08 metres. The two other podium finishers at the Tokyo Olympics, Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch and Vitezslav Vesely finished fourth and seventh respectively.
Neeraj Chopra had said that the World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the Diamond League were his big targets. Chopra is currently fourth in the Diamond League race after earning seven points for his second place finish.
