Renowned Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will have to contend with fierce opposition from strong opponents like Julian Weber and Anderson Peters on August 28 in Zurich, Switzerland, as he looks to reclaim the Diamond League (DL) Final title.
Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist, had won the DL trophy in 2022 and placed second in 2023 and 2024. Chopra did not participate in the final leg of the renowned series in Brussels.
Chopra participated in two of the four qualifying legs and finished in fourth position, earning a spot in this year’s DL Final.
With a throw of 90.23 meters at the Doha round in May, the 27-year-old defending world champion broke the coveted 90-meter mark, but he was forced to settle for second place behind Weber of Germany. Then, in June, he won the Paris leg with an 88.16-meter effort.
Five additional throwers, including Julian Weber, Keshorn Walcott, Andrian Mardare, defending champion Peters, and Julius Yego, were selected in addition to Chopra. As the host country’s entry, Swiss thrower Simon Wieland was also added to the field.
In his most recent competitive appearance, Chopra won the title in the NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5 with a throw of 86.18 meters. He has participated in six tournaments so far this season, taking second place twice and winning four.
In addition, Chopra will defend his global championship during the September 13–21 global Championships in Tokyo.
In international athletics, the Diamond League is a top-tier one-day meeting series. Each of the 32 events has a champion, and the DL Final is a winner-take-all battle. Each winner gets a wild card invitation to the World Championships along with the renowned Diamond Trophy.
The winner will receive USD 30,000, the runner-up USD 12,000, and the third-place competitor USD 7,000 in the men’s javelin final, which is set for August 28. However, the winners of eight of the 32 events this year will get increased prize money.
