Zurich Diamond League: Neeraj Chopra finishes 2nd with 85.01m throw

Zurich: World champion Neeraj Chopra saved his best for last, producing a throw of 85.01 metres on his sixth and final attempt to claim second place in the season-ending Diamond League Final on Thursday night.

Chopra, who had earlier registered 84.35m and three fouls, overtook Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott with his final effort to extend his remarkable streak of 26 consecutive top-two finishes on the international stage.

The 27-year-old Indian Olympic champion could not retain the title he won last year, finishing behind Germany’s Julian Weber, who sealed victory in the opening round itself with a world-leading 91.37m, a personal best that eclipsed his previous mark of 90.06m. Weber later improved again to 91.51m, leaving the rest of the field with little chance to catch up.

Chopra, who also has Olympic gold from Tokyo and silver from Paris, opened with 84.35m to sit in third place behind Weber and Walcott (84.95m). He followed up with 82.00m but fouled his next three attempts, struggling to find his rhythm. On his final throw, however, he surged past Walcott, who managed a best of 84.95m before slipping to third with later efforts of 81.78m and 77.00m.

Former world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada finished fourth with 82.06m.

Chopra had qualified for the Diamond League Final after winning in Paris in June with 88.16m. Earlier this season, he set a new personal best and Indian national record of 90.25m in Doha, his first throw beyond the 90m mark and had been aiming to cross that distance again in Zurich.

IANS