Watch: Neeraj Chopra’s Bittersweet Reaction to Season-Best 89.49m Throw in Lausanne
Neeraj Chopra, India’s star javelin thrower, experienced a mix of emotions after achieving his season-best throw of 89.49m at the Lausanne Diamond League, which earned him second place in the competition. Chopra has long been aspiring to break the elusive 90m barrier, making his reaction understandable.
– Neeraj had a bittersweet reaction to his impressive 89.49m throw in Lausanne.
– He secured the second position with his final attempt at the Lausanne Diamond League.
– The throw marked his season-best performance.
During what marked his return to competition, the silver medalist from the Paris Olympics displayed a range of emotions following his final throw. Initially pleased with his effort, Chopra’s satisfaction was tinged with frustration, as he narrowly missed reaching the coveted 90m mark.
After the disappointment of not being able to defend his Tokyo Olympics gold at the Paris Games, Neeraj jumped back into action at the Lausanne Diamond League. Although not in peak form, the 26-year-old summoned the determination in his final throw to deliver his best effort of the day, securing second place behind Anderson Peters, who led with an impressive throw of 90.61m.
Neeraj began the competition with a throw of 82.10m, placing him fourth at the end of the first round. Anderson Peters took an early lead with a remarkable 86.36m throw, while Jakub Vadlejch struggled initially. Neeraj’s second attempt was an improvement, reaching 83.21m, which helped him climb back into the top three.
However, his third throw, measuring 83.13m, posed the risk of dropping further in the rankings. Despite this, Neeraj managed to stay within the top four, even though his throws were not up to his usual high standards.
The fifth attempt saw Neeraj achieve a throw of 85.58m, which propelled him back into the top three. The final round included only the top three throwers. Peters concluded his performance by breaking the meeting record with a 90.61m throw. Neeraj, in his final attempt, delivered his season-best throw of 89.49m, surpassing Julian Weber to secure the second spot.
It was difficult to gauge from Neeraj’s reaction that his final throw in Lausanne was not only the best of his season but also the second-best of his entire career.
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