Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra finished as the runner-up at the Diamond League Final for the third consecutive year, as Germany's Julian Weber clinched his maiden title with a spectacular performance in Zurich on Thursday. Chopra's final-round throw of 85.01m was enough to secure the second spot, but he was no match for the German, who produced two massive 90m-plus throws.
Julian Weber was in a class of his own, dominating the seven-man field from the start. He opened with a 91.37m throw before unleashing a massive 91.57m effort on his second attempt. This was a new personal best for the German, a season world-leading mark, and more than six meters further than any of his rivals managed on the night, making him the undisputed champion.
It was a rare off-night for the usually consistent Chopra. The Indian ace struggled to find his rhythm, managing only three legal throws out of his six attempts. He was in third place for most of the competition with an opening throw of 84.35m, before his clutch final effort of 85.01m saw him leapfrog Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott into the silver medal position.
Chopra was gracious in defeat, congratulating his "good friend" Weber on his spectacular performance. He acknowledged that while his own performance wasn't his best, his main focus is now on the upcoming World Championships. "This was not too bad. But we are getting very close to the world championships, so I still need to throw a little bit further," Chopra said. "At major championships, the gold is more important than the far throws."
Having completed his Diamond League season, Chopra's full attention will now shift to defending his world title. The World Athletics Championships will take place in Tokyo from September 13 to 21, where the Indian superstar will look to peak at the perfect time and add another global gold medal to his illustrious collection.
