"For This Competition, My Focus Was...": Neeraj Chopra On Diamond League 2nd Spot Finish

01.09.2023 - 05:19 sports.ndtv.com

Newly-crowned world champion Neeraj Chopra missed out on a top podium finish to settle for second position with a final round throw of 85.71 metres in the men's javelin event of the Diamond League Meeting here.

The 25-year-old Chopra, also the reigning Olympic champion, produced three legal throws of 80.79m, 85.22m and 85.71m while the remaining three were fouls.

He finished behind Jakub Vadlejch (85.86m) of Czech Republic, who had won a bronze in the World Championships. The champion thrower said after the event on Thursday that physically was feeling "very good" but was a little tired after the World Championships in Budapest, where he won gold. "I feel very good now, because everyone is a little tired after the World Championships.

We gave our 100 per cent there (in Budapest), but for this competition here my focus was to just stay healthy, and we have to focus now for Eugene (Diamond League finals on September 17) and then the (Hangzhou) Asian Games (from September 23).

Travel athletics stage on focus Neeraj Chopra Jakub Vadlejch Usa Monaco Czech Republic India

India's Avinash Sable qualified for his maiden Diamond League Final after completing fifth in the men's 3000m steeplechase race at the Xiamen Diamond League 2023 in China on Saturday. In overcast conditions at the Egret Stadium, Sable clocked 8:16.27. His time of 8:11.20 at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year remains the Indian national record. Sable's performance was over six seconds faster than his qualifying mark for the world championships in Budapest last month, where he failed to make the final. Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali won the Xiamen meet with a meet record of 8:10.31. Ethiopia's Samuel Firewu finished second in 8:11.29, while Kenya's Amos Serem finished third in 8:14.41. Kenyan Commonwealth Games champion Abraham Kibiwot finished fourth in 8:15.87.

Xiamen Diamond League: India's Avinash Sable qualifies for 3000m steeplechase final in Eugene

I Was Competing With Myself, Not With Neeraj Chopra: Arshad Nadeem

Pakistan's World Championships silver medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem does not consider Indian gold winner Neeraj Chopra as his main rival, saying he competes with himself. Nadeem on Sunday became the first athlete from Pakistan to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, while Olympic champion Chopra won the gold. Asked if Chopra was his main rival in the World Championships, Nadeem said, "No. I myself is the only competitor to Arshad Nadeem. I did not think I was competing to win against anybody." Chopra won gold with a throw of 88.17m while reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist Nadeem took the silver with his season's best throw of 87.82m.

Neeraj Chopra's Preparatory Camp In Switzerland Gets Ministry Approval

Reigning Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra's preparatory camp in Switzerland on Friday got the nod from the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), which also announced other approvals. Chopra will undergo a 12-day training camp in Magglingen, Switzerland ahead of the Diamond League final to be organised in Eugene, USA, later this month. A total of INR 5.89 lakh have been sanctioned for the camp to be held from September 1-12, a release said. Chopra finished second in the Diamond League event in Zurich on Thursday after recording his best throw of 85.71m.

World Athletics Championships 2023 Was A "Big Challenge": Neeraj Chopra Tells NDTV

India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra added another feather to his cap last week by claiming a World Athletics Championships gold medal at Budapest, Hungary. With it, he also became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the event. Neeraj's best throw in the javelin final was 88.17m. He had a foul throw to start with but then got 88.17m, 86.32m, 84.64m, 87.73m and 83.98m. In a recent interview to NDTV, Neeraj has revealed that the World Championships was "a big challenge" for him.

I Was Competing With Myself, Not With Neeraj Chopra: Arshad Nadeem