Neeraj Chopra Stages Comeback to Win Gold in Federation Cup

Bhubaneswar: Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra secured the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event at the Federation Cup here on Wednesday. In his first competitive outing on Indian soil in three years, Chopra started slow but eventually dominated the competition.

After arriving the day before his event following a second-place finish at the Doha Diamond League, Chopra didn’t set the stage alight initially and found himself in second place after the first three throws. However, the 26-year-old superstar displayed his champion mentality, launching an 82.27m throw in the fourth round to take the lead. With a comfortable advantage, Chopra opted to skip his final two attempts.

DP Manu of Karnataka claimed silver with a best throw of 82.06m, while Uttam Balasaheb Patil of Maharashtra finished third at 78.39m. Local favourite Kishore Jena, an Asian Games silver medalist, had a disappointing showing, managing only a 75.49m throw and finishing fifth.

This victory adds to Chopra’s already impressive list of achievements since his last domestic tournament appearance at the Federation Cup in March 2021, where he won gold with a throw of 87.80m.

He has also secured three individual Diamond League victories and a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships. While still chasing the coveted 90m mark, his current personal best and national record stand at an impressive 89.94m.

With his sights set on defending his Olympic gold in Paris, Chopra’s impressive performance in the Federation Cup further his continued dominance in the sport.