At the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has made an impressive start. He secured his place in the final with a remarkable throw in the qualification round.
In the ongoing World Athletics Championship held in Budapest, Hungary, Indian star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has made a spectacular entry. He achieved his spot in the final by throwing his best of the season and personal best in the very first throw of the championship’s Group A competition. Neeraj Chopra threw the javelin at a distance of 88.77 metres, setting a new record. The final for this event will take place on Sunday. Another Indian javelin thrower, Dheeraj Kumar, also participated in this event. To qualify, athletes needed to throw 85.5 meters. Neeraj cleared this distance on his first attempt.
Here’s a look at Neeraj Chopra’s career-best throw:
Neeraj Chopra, who won the gold medal with an 87.58-metre throw at the Tokyo Olympics, has continued to excel in the ongoing World Athletics Championship. He not only achieved his best for the season but also threw his best in the history of the World Athletics Championship. Prior to this, during the qualification round of Oregon 2022, he threw 88.39 metres, and in the final, he threw 88.13 meters. However, this time he showcased his brilliance with an 88.77-metre throw in the very first attempt of the qualification round. His personal best throw remains 89.94 metres, achieved on June 30, 2022, during the Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden. This javelin throw is not only the national record for men’s javelin in India but also Neeraj Chopra’s personal best.
Neeraj Chopra held the previous three national records as well. These include throws of 89.30 metres at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2022, 88.07 metres at the 2021 Indian Grand Prix 3 in Patiala, and 88.06 metres at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. Neeraj has now surpassed the 85-metre mark a total of 42 times. He also achieved an 85-metre throw at the Doha Diamond League in 2023. His strongest competitor, Anderson Peters, with an 80-metre throw, failed to qualify after three attempts.
Impressive performance by Dheeraj Kumar:
In the same Group A competition, India’s second javelin thrower, Dheeraj Kumar, also performed well. He achieved distances of 78.10, 81.31, and 72.40 metres in his three attempts, securing the third position in the group. Germany’s Julian Weber, with a best throw of 82.39 metres, took the second position. David Wgrzyn from Poland, with a best throw of 81.25 metres, secured the fourth position. Anderson Peters, Neeraj’s prominent rival, managed a seventh-place finish with his best throw of 78.49 meters. The Group B competition is yet to take place, where India’s Keshorn Walcott will be in focus. After both group rounds, the top 12 throwers will qualify for the final.
