ZURICH: The new world champion Neeraj Chopra he was not at his best, but he still finished second with a final throw of 85.71 in the men’s javelin discipline Diamond League Meeting here on Thursday. The 25-year-old Chopra, also the reigning Olympic champion, had three clearances of 80.79m, 85.22m and 85.71m, with the remaining three being fouls. He finished behind Jakub Vadlejch (85.86 m) Czech, who won bronze at the World Championships.
The Indian superstar, who was unbeaten this season before Thursday, qualified for the Diamond League finals on September 17 in Eugene, USA with 23 points from three matches. He won Diamond League Trophy last year.
He won Diamond League meetings in Doha (May 5) and Lausanne (June 30) — his only two events before claiming historic gold at the world championships in Budapest on Sunday with a throw of 88.17m.
During the pre-event press conference here Chopra said he felt some pain in his shoulder and back after winning gold at the world championships. He was not 100 per cent fit for the showcase event due to a groin strain suffered during training in May-June.
Chopra started with a modest 80.79m, which put him in second place, but he fouled the next two throws and was in fifth place halfway through the stage, with Germany’s Julian Weber leading the way.
But Chopra cleared 85.22m in his fourth attempt to take second place. Back then, Vadlejch took the lead.
Chopra again fouled on his fifth throw and in his final throw he achieved his best score of the day – 85.71m.
In the men’s long jump, Murali Sreeshankar finished with a first round jump of 7.99m.
Sreeshankar, who did not make it to the finals at the just concluded World Championships in Budapest, was leading after the 1st round. However, he slowly slipped out of the top three as he failed to improve on his first round jump.
He was third by the end of the third lap, but slipped to fifth in the fourth and stayed there until the end.
Olympic champion and world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won gold in the sixth and final round with a jump of 8.20m.
The Indian superstar, who was unbeaten this season before Thursday, qualified for the Diamond League finals on September 17 in Eugene, USA with 23 points from three matches. He won Diamond League Trophy last year.
He won Diamond League meetings in Doha (May 5) and Lausanne (June 30) — his only two events before claiming historic gold at the world championships in Budapest on Sunday with a throw of 88.17m.
During the pre-event press conference here Chopra said he felt some pain in his shoulder and back after winning gold at the world championships. He was not 100 per cent fit for the showcase event due to a groin strain suffered during training in May-June.
Chopra started with a modest 80.79m, which put him in second place, but he fouled the next two throws and was in fifth place halfway through the stage, with Germany’s Julian Weber leading the way.
But Chopra cleared 85.22m in his fourth attempt to take second place. Back then, Vadlejch took the lead.
Chopra again fouled on his fifth throw and in his final throw he achieved his best score of the day – 85.71m.
In the men’s long jump, Murali Sreeshankar finished with a first round jump of 7.99m.
Sreeshankar, who did not make it to the finals at the just concluded World Championships in Budapest, was leading after the 1st round. However, he slowly slipped out of the top three as he failed to improve on his first round jump.
He was third by the end of the third lap, but slipped to fifth in the fourth and stayed there until the end.
Olympic champion and world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won gold in the sixth and final round with a jump of 8.20m.
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