India's javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra failed to defend his title as he finished second in the Eugene Diamond League's on Sunday, September 17. The golden boy Neeraj was outclassed by three-time Olympian Jakub Vadlejch. Neeraj's best throw was 83.80m while the Czech Republic's javelin star clocked an impressive throw of 84.24 to become the new Diamond League champion. Meanwhile, Finland's Oliver Helander came third with a best throw of 83.74m.
Here's the final standings
1. Jakub Vadlejch - 84.24m
2. Neeraj Chopra - 83.80m
3. Oliver Helander - 83.74m
4. Andrian Mardare - 81.79m
5. Curtis Thompson - 77.01m
6. Anderson Peters - 74.71m
Neeraj Chopra narrowly missed clinching his second consecutive Diamond League title, a feat only achieved by two other men. Jakub Vadlejch, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, celebrated his third Diamond League glory, a testament to his consistent performance. Notably, Vadlejch also bested Chopra in the recent Zurich Diamond League.
Last year, in the Zurich Diamond League final, Chopra emerged victorious with an impressive throw of 88.44m. In the Eugene Diamond League final, Chopra's sequence of throws were as follows: Foul, 83.80m, 81.37m, Foul, 80.74m, and 80.90m.
2023 has indeed been a stellar year for Chopra. The highlight being his gold medal achievement at the World Athletics Championships final, making him the first Indian to clinch gold in track and field at this event.
Next on his agenda is a trip to China, where he will aim to defend his title at the Asian Games, wrapping up a whirlwind season for this Olympic hero.
In the 2023 Diamond League circuit, Chopra's undeniable prowess was on full display. He took part in three events, bagging first place in both Doha and Lausanne and clinching the runner-up position in Zurich with a commendable throw of 85.71m on his final attempt. This accomplishment, despite not being his personal best, is a testament to his unwavering determination.
The competition in Zurich began on a shaky note for Chopra with a foul throw, while Vadlejch took an early lead with an 84.01m mark. Chopra bounced back during his second throw, marking 83.80m, positioning him in second.
However, despite subsequent efforts including a commendable 81.37m throw, Chopra couldn't surpass Vadlejch, who retained his lead till the end.
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