Neeraj Chopra secured second place in the Diamond League Finals in Zurich on Thursday, with Germany's Julian Weber claiming victory through impressive 90m-plus throws. Chopra, who struggled with his timing, managed a best throw of 85.01m in his final attempt, while Weber dominated with a season-leading throw of 91.57m.
Chopra moved from third to second position in his last attempt, overtaking Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago who finished third with 84.95m. This marked Chopra's third consecutive runner-up finish in the Diamond League Finals.
Weber showcased exceptional form, opening with 91.37m and achieving his personal best of 91.57m in his second attempt. His subsequent throws measured 83.66m, 86.45m, and 88.66m, maintaining a clear lead throughout the competition.
"The timing was not so good today, run-up was not so good. There is something I didn't find today, but I still have three weeks for the World Championships, and I will try my best," Chopra said after the event which was attended by tennis legend
Roger Federer.
Roger Federer attended the Diamond League Final in Zurich. (Image: X/World Athletics)
Chopra, the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist and current Paris Olympics silver-medallist, managed only three legal throws out of six attempts, unusually falling short of his typical 88m-plus performances.
"This was not too bad. But we are getting very close to the World Championships, so I still need to throw a little bit farther. There were a few things that went well, but still, there were the things which did not go that well," Chopra reflected.
"In the last attempt, I still managed to throw 85. But I am very happy for Julian, he managed to throw really far, and to show 91m was really good. We will see in three weeks. I still need to train a little bit. In this sport, we do not know. It depends on the day."
Despite dealing with a persistent right groin injury, Chopra remains optimistic about his preparation for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo, where he will defend his title.
"It's going well and today was a hard day. There is always a harder day in sports, so today was a hard day for me, but I still managed in the last throw over 85 metres," Chopra stated about his season's progress.
"I feel good and I just need to find some good timing," he added.
Weber's victory extended his head-to-head advantage over Chopra to 3-1 this season, having previously outperformed him at the Doha Diamond League and ORLEN Janusz Kusocinski Memorial event in Chorzow, Poland, both in May.
There is always a harder day in sports, so today was a hard day for me, but I still managed in the last throw over 85 metres
Neeraj Chopra
Chopra's sole victory against Weber this season came at the Paris Diamond League in June. However, in their overall head-to-head record since 2016, Chopra maintains a commanding 15-5 lead.
Chopra had earlier achieved his first 90m throw at the Doha Diamond League this year but has acknowledged the need to improve his technique for consistent performances at this distance.
Having skipped the Silesia and Brussels Diamond League events in August, Chopra qualified for the Finals in fourth position with 15 points.
The Indian javelin star has maintained his position among the top two finishers in all competitions since June 2021, showcasing remarkable consistency despite occasional technical challenges.
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