Zurich: Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra will next be seen in action at the Diamond League Final in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday, August 28, at 11:15 PM IST. The Indian javelin ace will go up against a strong field that includes defending champion Anderson Peters and Germany’s Julian Weber.
Road to the Final
Chopra secured his spot in the season finale after finishing fourth in the qualification standings, despite only competing in two of the four qualifying legs. He skipped the Silesia and Brussels events but delivered strong performances earlier in the year:
- Doha (May): Threw a personal best of 90.23m, crossing the 90m mark for the first time, but finished second behind Weber.
- Paris (June): Won the leg with a throw of 88.16m.
The 27-year-old also won the NC Classic in Bengaluru last month with an 86.18m effort. So far this season, he has competed in six events, winning four and finishing runner-up in two.
The Competition Ahead
The men’s javelin final will feature Chopra alongside Peters, Weber, Andrian Mardare, Keshorn Walcott, and Julius Yego, with Swiss thrower Simon Wieland added as the host entry.
The Diamond League Final follows a winner-takes-all format, with the men’s javelin champion earning the prestigious Diamond Trophy and a wild card entry to the 2025 World Championships. The prize purse for the event is USD 30,000 for first place, USD 12,000 for second, and USD 7,000 for third.
What’s Next
After Zurich, Chopra will head to Tokyo to defend his world title at the World Athletics Championships from September 13 to 21, where he will aim to add another chapter to his illustrious career.
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