Neeraj Chopra creates history, wins Lausanne Diamond League Meet title with 89.08m throw

Lausanne: Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra on Friday clinched the javelin throw competition at the Lausanne Diamond League with a best throw of 89.08m.

With his best throw at the event, Chopra became the first Indian to clinch the prestigious Diamond League Meeting title with a win in Lausanne. Neeraj has thus qualified for the Diamond League Finals, which will take place in Zurich, Switzerland from September 7 and 8. He has also now qualified for the 2023 World Championships.

Neeraj’s throw sequence on the day was 89.08m, 85.18m, he skipped the third attempt while making a foul in the fourth. In also skipped his fifth attempt and then made a stunning throw of 80.04m in his sixth and final attempt.

Czech Republic’s Jakub Valejch threw 85.88m to claim the second spot while USA’s Curtis Thompson hurled 83.72m for the third spot.

Earlier in July, star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was ruled out from Commonwealth Games. Neeraj sustained a groin injury in the finals of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon on Sunday, where he clinched the silver medal, to end India’s 19-year-long wait for a medal at the world championships.

Neeraj had clinched the gold medal in the CWG 2018, which was held in Australia. He further stated that he is deeply hurt by the fact that he will not be able to defend his title.

Neeraj had finished second in the Stockholm leg of the prestigious event trailing one spot behind the world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada with a national record throw of 89.94m, just 6cm short of the 90m mark, the gold standard in the world of javelin throw.