Can Neeraj Chopra Achieve Even Bigger Throws Following His 'Bittersweet' Finish in Doha?

New Delhi, May 17 (NationPress) India's javelin star Neeraj Chopra achieved a significant milestone in his remarkable career by surpassing the 90-meter mark for the first time, achieving a personal best of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League. Despite this incredible feat, the Olympic champion finished in second place, with Germany's Julian Weber taking the lead with a throw of 91.06 meters in his inaugural Diamond League meet of the season.

Following the event, Chopra described the outcome as “a little bit of a bittersweet” experience, expressing disappointment at finishing second.

“This result is a bit bittersweet. I am thrilled to have hit the 90m mark, but finishing second is tough. This has happened to me before in Turku and Stockholm. I threw 89.94 and ended up second again. Today, I broke the national record and still ended up second. However, I’m also happy for Julian Weber; we both broke the 90m barrier today after years of trying,” he stated.

Chopra reflected on previous challenges with a groin issue that had affected his performance over the last few seasons. “In recent years, I always felt something was wrong with my groin, which hindered my performance. This year, I feel much better,” he shared.

With the World Championships approaching later this year, Chopra remains optimistic and eager for more success. “We will focus on improving certain aspects, and I believe I can exceed 90m in upcoming events,” he remarked.

The Doha meet represented a crucial advancement in Chopra's journey, solidifying his position among the world's elite and raising expectations for a potentially record-breaking season ahead.

This achievement made him the first Indian javelin thrower to surpass the 90m threshold in a world-level competition and also establishes a new National Record for India, as Chopra improved upon his previous record of 89.94m set in June 2022 at Stockholm.

It was a remarkable night for India's golden boy as Chopra accomplished something fans and analysts have eagerly anticipated for years, breaking the coveted 90-meter barrier in javelin throw while ultimately finishing second at the Doha Diamond League meet on Friday.

The influence of his new coach, Jan Zelezny, was evident as Chopra finally crossed a mark that had evaded him multiple times in recent years. Chopra recently appointed the three-time Olympic gold medalist from the Czech Republic as his coach, taking over from Dr. Klaus Bartonietz.

“I feel great having Jan Zelezny as my coach now. We worked very hard in South Africa and are still refining several techniques. Typically, he doesn’t attend Diamond League events, but he came with me today because he believed this was the day to achieve 90m,” said Chopra.