When was the last time Neeraj Chopra won the men's javelin throw event in the Diamond League Final?
India's javelin sensation, Neeraj Chopra, last won the men’s javelin throw event in the Diamond League Final on September 8, 2022, in Zurich. This victory marked a historic moment, as Chopra became the first Indian athlete to clinch the prestigious Diamond League title.
His winning throw of 88.44m came on his second attempt, propelling him to the top of the podium in challenging conditions at the Letzigrund Stadium. Despite a foul on his first throw, Chopra quickly found his rhythm.
His third attempt reached 88.00m, followed by throws of 86.11m and 87.00m. While his final attempt measured 83.60 meters, it was his earlier 88.44m throw that secured his victory.
In a highly competitive field, Chopra edged out Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch, the 2016 Diamond League champion and silver medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Vadlejch, who holds a personal best of 90.88 meters, managed a best throw of 86.94 meters in Zurich, placing him second.
Germany's reigning European champion, Julian Weber, finished third with a throw of 83.73m. Anderson Peters had qualified but was replaced by Portugal’s Leandro Ramos after suffering an off-field injury.
Neeraj Chopra’s journey to the Diamond League Final was paved with impressive performances earlier in the season. He won the Lausanne Diamond League in August and set a new national record with a throw of 89.94m in Stockholm in June. Chopra followed it up with a second-place finish in the Diamond League 2023 finals.
Neeraj Chopra finishes second in Diamond League Final 2024 in Brussels
Neeraj Chopra secured second place in the Diamond League Final 2024 in Brussels with a best throw of 87.86m in his third attempt. Despite his strong performance, Chopra fell just short of Grenada's Anderson Peters whose opening throw of 87.87 meters earned him the top spot.
Chopra opened the competition with an 86.82m throw, followed by an 83.49m attempt. His closest effort came in the third round, where he almost matched Peters but missed out by just 0.01m. Despite two more attempts, including a penultimate 83.30m and a final throw of 86.46m, Chopra couldn't surpass Peters.
Chopra’s consistent performance throughout the event kept him firmly in second place, while Germany’s Julian Weber rounded out the podium in third.