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Neeraj Chopra becomes first Indian to clinch Diamond League Final 2022 Championship

Neeraj Chopra dazzled with a throw of 88.44 meters at the Zurich Diamond League Final 2022

Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, an Olympic gold medallist, recently won the Diamond League Finals. He made India proud by creating history in Diamond League Finals. Chopra’s second throw, which was his fourth career best and the winning throw, was 88.44 meters. He threw 88.00 meters high, 86.11 meters high, 87.00 meters high, and 83.60 meters high in his subsequent four throws.

Neeraj was able to accomplish all of this in a very short period of time of thirteen months. He received a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in August. He has consistently thrown over 88 meters this season. He owns the country record with his season-best distance of 89.94 meters.

The ace athlete from India participated in his third Diamond League Finals after being placed seventh and fourth in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Along with the Diamond Trophy and US$30,000 in prize money, Chopra also received a wild card for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Best Throw at 88.44m

Six times this season, Neeraj Chopra has produced throws for more than 88 meters, demonstrating his consistency in the sport. This year, he broke the previous national record by clearing 89.94 metres and creating history again for the nation. With a performance that altered the course of history, Chopra wrapped up his international season. The Diamond League Finals can be considered the most prominent competition aside from the Olympics and World Championships.

The Indian superstar Neeraj Chopra presently holds the titles of Olympic champion, Diamond League champion, and World Championship silver medalist. In just 13 months, he had finished all of these and made the nation proud. On August 7 the previous year, he won the Olympic gold in Tokyo which was again a first for the country.

Also, he has qualified for the World Championships because his winning throw in Lausanne’s leg was longer than the qualifying 85.20 metres.

Diamond League Champion Neeraj Chopra does India proud

Chopra made a poor first impression but rebounded strongly to outperform everyone else in the competition with his second effort. In the end, he triumphed over Julian Webber of Germany and Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic.

The Diamond League, which is structured like a championship, consists of 32 Diamond Specialties. Athletes receive points at the 13-series competition to qualify for the final of their respective sports.

Chopra was the clear favourite to win the competition as he had already broken the national record twice this year. First, at the Paavo Nurmi Games to start the season, he threw 89.30 meters, and then, at the Stockholm Diamond League, he threw 89.94 meters, which was close to breaking the 90-meter barrier. Neeraj won the gold medal at the 2018 CWG, in Australia. He said that he was quite upset over not being able to win his title. 

Neeraj had placed second in the renowned event’s Stockholm leg, one place behind world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, with a javelin throw that was 89.94 meters, just 6 centimetres short of the 90-meter threshold that is considered the industry standard.

The reigning Olympic champion, who entered as the clear favourite, showed unwavering confidence, was remarkably steady throughout the competition and earned the one medal he was missing from his cabinet by winning the prestigious Diamond League award. 

Chopra, who was competing in the Diamond League Final for the third time, made sure he didn’t leave empty-handed and put on a strong performance to win the title, an accomplishment he had failed to accomplish since 2017.

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