Neeraj Chopra creates history again! Wins Lausanne Diamond League title

New Delhi: Olympic champion in javelin throw Neeraj Chopra created history by becoming the first Indian player to win the Diamond League meeting title by winning the Lausanne leg on Friday. 24-year-old Neeraj Chopra withdrew from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last month due to a “minor” groin injury while winning a silver medal during the World Championships. He threw the javelin to 89.08 meters in his first attempt and won. Due to the injury, Chopra took rest and treatment for a month, but seeing him, it seemed that the injury was not at all. He continued to perform his old form.

Throwing 89.08m in the javelin was the third-best effort of his career. His second throw measured 85.18 meters before the third attempt. His fourth throw was a foul while he again passed his fifth attempt before coming up with 80.04m in the sixth and final round. Hailing from Khandara village near Panipat in Haryana, this youth became the first Indian player to win the Diamond League.

Before Chopra, discus thrower Vikas Gowda has been the only Indian to finish in the top three in the Diamond League meet. Gowda finished second twice in 2012 in New York and in 2014 in Doha while in 2015 in Shanghai and Eugene on two occasions.

Neeraj Chopra said after winning “I am happy with my result tonight. 89m is a great performance. I am especially pleased as I am recovering from an injury and tonight it was a good sign that I have recovered well. I had to pull out of the Commonwealth Games due to an injury and then I was a little nervous. Tonight with a strong performance in the Zurich DL Final has given me a lot of confidence to end the season on a high.”