Neeraj Chopra Battles Through “Hard Day” to Secure Second Place at Diamond League Final

Olympic champion extends his streak of 26 consecutive top-two finishes despite early fouls; Germany’s Julian Weber dominates with a 91.51m throw

Zurich [Switzerland], August 29: India’s star javelin thrower and double Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra admitted it was “a hard day” for him at the Diamond League final in Zurich on Thursday, but the World Champion still found a way to extend his remarkable streak of podium finishes.

Chopra managed a best throw of 85.01 metres, which came on his final attempt, helping him secure the second spot in the competition. With this, he stretched his run of 26 successive top-two finishes across international events — a record that has stood strong for the past four years.

The night belonged to Germany’s Julian Weber, who stunned the field with a colossal 91.51m throw on his second attempt, following an equally impressive 91.37m opener. His consistent performance ensured a clear victory, while 2012 Olympic gold medalist Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago finished third with 84.95m.

Neeraj’s outing, however, was far from smooth. He opened with 84.35m, slipped to 82m in his second attempt, and then suffered three consecutive fouls that put his proud top-two streak under serious threat. At that point, he was placed third behind Weber and Walcott.

Showing characteristic grit, Neeraj delivered under pressure with his final throw crossing 85m, which propelled him back into second place. Reflecting on the performance, Chopra said,
“Today was a bit of a hard day. There are always harder days in sports, and today was one for me. The timing wasn’t ideal, and my run-up wasn’t good. But I still managed an 85m throw in the last attempt. I have three weeks until the World Championships, and I’ll try my best to improve.”

Weber capped his memorable night with a final attempt of 88.66m, sealing his dominance.

For Chopra, who had won the Diamond League title in 2022 at the same venue — becoming the first Indian ever to do so — the runner-up finish adds yet another milestone to his consistent career. He had also finished second in the 2023 and 2024 editions of the tournament.