Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finishes second in Eugene Diamond League final 2023

At the age of 25, Neeraj Chopra has achieved nearly everything in javelin throw. From youth championships to senior championships, Chopra has won everything to be won in his sport. Yet, the Indian thrower always aims for excellence in his sport and does not stop after winning an event. For someone with such an attitude, the recent results would have been disappointing. 

In the Eugene Diamond League final 2023, Neeraj came second best to claim the silver medal in the event. The Indian thrower did not seem at his best and could not cross the mark of 85 meters in the event. As a result, the thrower from the Czech Republic, Jakub Vadlejch, managed to claim the gold medal in the event with a best throw of 84.24 meters. The athlete from the Czech Republic has been one of the best throwers in recent years.  

Underperformance in the event from Neeraj Chopra

In his first throw, Neeraj threw very well. Unfortunately, the attempt was declared as a foul. In the second throw, Chopra registered his best throw of the day as he threw the javelin for 83.80 meters. In the third attempt, the Olympic gold medalist threw the javelin for 81.37 meters. The 25-year-old again committed a foul by crossing the white line in his fourth attempt. 

In his fifth attempt, the Asian Games champion hurled the javelin for 80.74 meters. In his final attempt, Neeraj threw the javelin for 80.90 meters. Clearly, Neeraj did not seem to be at his best. When at his best, the Indian thrower can easily clock distances of over 87 meters. But in the last couple of events, Neeraj has not been able to breach the mark of 88 meters. 

Ahead of the Asian Games 2023, this can be a dent in the confidence of the Indian athlete. But the champion thrower can be trusted to give his best performance in the tournament. In many tournaments, Neeraj Chopra has been able to outperform his opponents. The fans will hope for a comeback from the Indian thrower.