Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, known for his prowess in javelin throw, is set to directly participate in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest from August 19. This decision comes after his impressive performance in the Diamond League in Lausanne, where he clinched his second consecutive title with a throw of 87.66m, following his earlier victory in Doha on May 5.
Having returned to action after a month-long injury lay-off, the 25-year-old expressed his satisfaction with the Lausanne win and mentioned his focus on the upcoming Budapest championship. Chopra, who considers Lausanne a lucky city for him, intends to use the time before Budapest to address certain aspects in his training to further enhance his performance.
Chopra’s coach, Dr. Klaus Bartonietz, confirmed that the athlete will skip other meets and directly head to the World Championships in Budapest. Despite the 50-day gap until the men’s javelin throw qualification round on August 25, Chopra’s decision is backed by his coach and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), emphasizing that he is fully recovered from the muscle strain that led him to miss previous events.
Chopra, who secured a silver in the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, USA, is eyeing a gold this time. With his personal best of 89.94m, he is expected to maintain his top position in the Diamond League standings after his Lausanne victory, ensuring qualification for the grand finale in Eugene on September 16-17.
Although Chopra will miss the Monaco leg of the Diamond League on July 21, he remains in a strong position for the grand finale. Additionally, he may choose to compete in the Zurich leg of the Diamond League on August 31, right after the World Championships. As the reigning Diamond League champion, having won the trophy in the 2022 grand finale in Zurich, Chopra continues to solidify his status as a top athlete in the javelin throw.