Neeraj Chopra Finishes 2nd in Zurich Diamond League, Focused on Improving

Olympic and World Champion Neeraj Chopra continued his remarkable consistency at the Zurich Diamond League Finals, finishing second for the third straight year. Despite not being at his best, the Indian javelin thrower extended his unbeaten top-three streak that has lasted nearly four years.

Chopra managed a best throw of 85.01m on his final attempt, edging past Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott. His series included an opening 84.35m, a modest 82m, three fouls, and finally his strongest throw of the evening. Known for clearing 88m-plus in recent competitions, Chopra admitted that his rhythm was off, particularly with his run-up.

“This was not too bad, but with the World Championships around the corner, I still need to throw further,” Chopra reflected after the event. He acknowledged inconsistencies in his approach, saying, “There is something I didn’t find today.”

Germany’s Julian Weber dominated the competition with two throws beyond 90m, including a personal best and world-leading 91.57m. Defending champion Anderson Peters of Grenada finished fourth with 82.06m.

Although Chopra won the Diamond League trophy in 2022, he settled for runner-up in both 2023 and 2024. Looking ahead to the World Championships in Tokyo from September 13–21, he expressed determination to improve. “In this sport, everything depends on the day. I need to train harder. We will see in Tokyo,” he said.