India's javelin sensation Neeraj Chopra finished second in Lausanne Diamond League, where he threw a season-best 89.49 meters in his last attempt on Thursday. Standing at fourth position with the end of the fourth round, the 26-year-old rose with a throw of 85.58 meters in the fifth round and saved the best for the last.
The final throw was better than what Chopra had done in the Paris Olympics. He was assured that he would miss the final attempt but made the cut due to his fifth-round throw. Only the top-three competitors after five rounds get a final attempt.
Two-time world champion and a Paris Olympics bronze medalist, Grenada's Anderson Peters, ruled with a throw of 90.61m from the second round, with Germany's Julian Weber staying a distance apart in third place with an attempt of 87.08m.
The groaning injury on his groin, Chopra, who has been carrying it, claimed the silver on August 8 at the Paris Olympics while carding 89.45 meters. It came three years after the Indian had created history by winning the gold in the Tokyo Games. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem threw 92.97 meters to take the Olympic record and clinch gold in Paris, leaving the Indian to settle for silver.
Peters, who had struggled for form in 2022, never looked challenged, and in round six he threw over 90 meters to confirm it. His personal best is 93.07 meters from 2022.
Chopra has seven points following that, which puts him level at joint third in the Diamond League standings with Weber, who has 15 points, with Peters leading the show with 21 points. The Czech Republic's Jakub Vadlejch finished seventh in Lausanne with 82.03 meters, making him second in the Diamond League standings with 16 points.
Chopra said he will be able to compete in the Diamond League in Lausanne and then decide whether to undergo surgery based on how the rest of the season shapes up. The Diamond League finals this season are in Brussels on 14 September, and to make them Chopra will have to finish in the top six of the overall ranking.
Yet another Diamond League meet is scheduled for 5th September in Zurich and it includes men's javelin throw. Though Chopra won the Lausanne Diamond League leg in both 2022 and 2023, he did not win this time. He had also finished second to Vadlejch in Doha on May 10. Chopra has been dealing with his groin injury since he won the gold at the Budapest World Championships last year.
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