Neeraj Chopra's performance in the upcoming Diamond League event will be an important indicator of his form ahead of the World Championships and the Asian Games.
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Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic and Diamond League champion, will begin his campaign on May 5, 2023, in the Diamond League Series event in Doha as he aims for his title defense. The Indian athlete told World Athletics in an interview that his summer goals include breaking the 90-meter barrier as well as defending his Wanda Diamond League championship and competing in the World Championships and Asian Games.
At the Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden last year, Neeraj Chopra improved his personal best by nearly two meters with a throw of 89.94m. He also claimed the Zurich Diamond League in 2022 with a throw of 88.44 meters, making him the Diamond League champion that year. He did not, however, participate in the Diamond League Doha leg last year.
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In a highly anticipated matchup, Neeraj Chopra will compete alongside world champion Anderson Peters of Granada and Olympic silver winner Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic. Anderson Peters, who won the last meeting in Doha with a personal best throw of 93.07m, will go head to head with Neeraj Chopra, who hopes to achieve his first 90m throw of the new season.
While, Jakub Vadlejch, the European Championships runner-up and bronze medalist at the World Athletics Championships 2022 in Eugene will give them tough competition. Vadlejch also attained his personal best in the Doha leg, throwing 90.88m in his first attempt. The top three will be joined by the reigning European champion Julian Weber of Germany, who finished fourth at the Olympic and World Championships, Keshorn Walcott, and Julius Yego, making the field highly competitive.
Neeraj Chopra‘s performance in the upcoming Diamond League event will be an important indicator of his form ahead of the World Championships and the Asian Games. The 25-year-old has been a consistent performer on the international stage and has become one of India’s top medal hopes at major events. He burst onto the scene in 2016, setting the world under-20 record with a throw of 86.48m, becoming the first Indian athlete to achieve a world record, at the same time setting a new national record. At the delayed Tokyo Olympics 2020, he became the Olympic champion and scripted history for India with a throw of 87.58m and was also the country’s first track and field athlete to win a gold medal.
The Wanda Diamond League 2023 comprises 14 athletics meetings where top athletes participate for the Diamond League final title. In the 2023 edition, Shenzhen, China will be hosting a Diamond League leg for the first time ever. However, the event which was scheduled to be held on August 3 will now take place on September 2, 2023. While the Shanghai meeting which was slated to be held on July 29 has now been canceled and won’t be conducted as planned.
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