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.