India’s Neeraj Chopra in motion in the course of the Males’s Javelin Throw.
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
Neeraj Chopra lastly breached the elusive 90m frontier with a 90.23m throw however the trailblazing Indian needed to accept a second place behind Germany’s Julian Weber in a dramatic males’s javelin contest on the Doha leg of the celebrated Diamond League Assembly collection right here on Friday.
The 27-year-old double Olympic medallist Indian despatched his spear to 90.23m in his third try to hitch a listing of javelin throwers, led by his present coach Jan Zelezny of Czechia, who had recorded 90m-plus efforts. He turned the third Asian and twenty fifth general to realize the feat.
Nevertheless, Weber turned the tables and took the highest spot along with his sixth and remaining throw, measuring 91.06m. Chopra was main earlier than Weber’s remaining try.
It was Weber’s first 90m-plus effort as nicely, and he turned the twenty sixth javelin thrower to breach the coveted mark. His effort was the world main mark this season to this point.
Germany’s Julian Weber celebrates his world main rating with India’s Neeraj Chopra (R) after the lads’s Javelin throw remaining in the course of the IAAF Diamond League competitors on the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Could 16, 2025.
| Picture Credit score:
AFP
Two-time world champion and Paris Olympics bronze medallist Anderson Peters of Grenada was third along with his opening throw of 84.65m.
“I’m very completely satisfied to have breached the 90m mark however it’s a bitter-sweet expertise,” Chopra mentioned later.
Germany’s Julian Weber celebrates his world main rating with India’s Neeraj Chopra (R) after the lads’s Javelin throw remaining in the course of the IAAF Diamond League competitors on the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Could 16, 2025. (Picture by Karim JAAFAR / AFP)
| Picture Credit score:
KARIM JAAFAR
“My coach Jan Zelezny mentioned right this moment is the day after I can throw 90m. The wind helps and climate is little heat and that helps. I additionally informed Julian that we are able to throw 90m. I’m additionally completely satisfied for him [Julian].”
“I consider I can throw farther than this within the coming occasions. We are going to work on some points and can throw 90m plus once more this season,” he added.
The opposite Indian within the fray, Kishore Jena completed eighth with a below-par throw of 78.60m.
Chopra started the competition with 88.44m, adopted by a foul try. He then despatched his spear previous the elusive 90m mark to the collective sigh of reduction of the entire nation. His subsequent three collection have been 80.56m, foul and 88.20m.
He first competed within the Doha DL in 2018 when he completed fourth with a finest throw of 87.43m.
After profitable gold within the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he took the title right here in 2023 (88.67m) and completed second in 2024 (88.36m).
Revealed – Could 17, 2025 12:20 am IST
