Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has set his sights on victory in the next Diamond League meeting after finishing a close second in the Doha leg.
Chopra’s second-place finish in Doha was a mere two centimeters behind Jakub Vadlejch’s winning throw of 88.38m. The 26-year-old Chopra trailed the veteran Czech throughout the competition, but his final effort of 88.36m fell just short of the top spot.
Despite the narrow margin, Chopra remained upbeat and expressed his determination to improve in the next meeting. “The most important competition for me this year is the Paris Olympics, but Diamond League meetings are important too,” Chopra said. “This was the opener for me this season, I finished second with a narrow two-centimeter margin, but next time I will try to draw far and try to win.”
The next Diamond League meeting featuring men’s javelin will be held in Paris on July 7. Chopra also expressed his gratitude for the support he received from the Indian diaspora in Qatar. “The support I am getting from the Indian people here in Qatar is always amazing,” he said. “There aren’t words enough for me to thank them for their support.”
Chopra’s performance in Doha was a promising start to his season, and he will be looking to build on it in the upcoming meetings. The top six javelin throwers will compete in the Diamond League Finals in Brussels on September 13-14, and Chopra will be aiming to lift the DL champion’s trophy.
