Indian athletics is set to witness a historic moment as javelin ace Neeraj Chopra and steeplechaser Avinash Sable become the first two Indians to qualify for the prestigious Diamond League Final, scheduled to commence in Brussels on Friday.
Chopra, the reigning Olympic silver medalist, will face a formidable field that includes Paris bronze medalist Anderson Peters of Grenada and Germany’s Julian Weber. The 26-year-old Indian will aim to end the season with his second Diamond League Finals trophy, having secured a season’s best of 89.49m at the Lausanne Diamond League last month.
Meanwhile, Sable will compete alongside world No. 5 Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui of Tunisia and Paris bronze medalist Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya. The 29-year-old Indian, who became the first Indian to reach the final of his event at the Olympics, will look to cap an underwhelming season on a high.
Despite limited competition this season, Sable managed to rewrite his own national record at the Paris Diamond League in July, clocking a time of 8:09.91m. However, his subsequent performance at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland was below par, resulting in a 14th-place finish.
Among the seven javelin throwers competing in Brussels, only Peters boasts a better personal best and season’s best than Chopra. Peters also emerged victorious at the Zurich Diamond League earlier this month, making him the only thrower in the fray to have surpassed the 90m mark this year.
Chopra’s participation in the Diamond League Final has been overshadowed by a persistent groin strain that has hampered his performance. He is expected to consult a doctor after the Brussels meet to address the niggle that has troubled him for nearly two years.
The Diamond League Final will be a two-day event, featuring 32 disciplines and a host of international stars. Pole vault world record holder Armand DuPlantis, American sprint queen Sha’Carri Richardson, and superstar hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone are among the athletes expected to draw significant attention.
