Neeraj Chopra breaks 90m barrier at last, but finishes second in Doha
Despite his glittering CV — an Olympic gold in Tokyo, a silver in Paris, a World Championship title, and the Diamond League crown — the question of the 90m mark has loomed large.
Neeraj Chopra
CHENNAI: Neeraj Chopra has finally cleared the lingering cloud that has followed him for years — breaching the elusive 90-metre mark with a towering throw of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League on Friday. Yet, on a dramatic night, it wasn’t enough for the top spot, as Germany’s Julian Weber produced a stunning final attempt of 91.06m to take the win.
Despite a glittering CV — Olympic gold in Tokyo, silver in Paris, a World Championship title, and a Diamond League crown — the one question that had trailed Chopra was always the same: When will he cross 90?
On Friday, he answered. Not only did he finally tick that long-awaited box, but he also delivered a new personal best and the third-longest throw ever by an Asian athlete — a moment of both individual vindication and national pride.
It wasn’t the smoothest of starts. His opening effort of 88.36m was enough to take an early lead, and it was in his third attempt that Chopra made history. His final throw measured 88.20m — solid, but not enough to claim the top spot after Weber's last-gasp winner.
Still, there is reason for optimism. Under the guidance of Jan Zelezny, Chopra looks much more confident, with his next appearance set for the 71st ORLEN Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland on 23 May.
