Neeraj Chopra qualifies for Diamond League finals 2024 in Brussels

Chopra finished fourth in the league.

Olympic silver medalist Neeraj Chopra has punched his ticket to the prestigious Diamond League finals, set to take place on September 13-14 in Brussels, Belgium. The 26-year-old Indian javelin thrower clinched his spot despite participating in only two of the four qualifying events this season.

Chopra’s journey to the finals wasn’t without its strategic moves. He skipped the Paris and Zurich legs of the Diamond League, a decision that raised some eyebrows but ultimately paid off. His stellar performances in the events he did compete in were enough to secure his position among the top six throwers, the cutoff for qualification.

At the end of the Zurich Diamond League, which Chopra opted out of, he stood fourth in the overall standings with 14 points. Grenada’s Anderson Peters topped the charts with 29 points, followed by Germany’s Julian Weber (21 points) and Czechia’s Jakub Vadlejch (16 points).

The Brussels showdown will feature a star-studded lineup of six competitors, including Chopra, Peters, Weber, Vadlejch, Moldova’s Andrian Mardare and Japan’s Roderick Genki Dean. Notably absent from the finals is Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, the Paris Olympics gold medalist, who finished outside the top six with five points.

This marks Chopra’s third consecutive appearance in the Diamond League Final. He clinched the top prize in 2022 and finished as runner-up in 2023, setting high expectations for his performance this year.

Chopra’s qualification comes on the heels of his silver medal win at the Paris Olympics, where he threw an impressive 89.45m. In his most recent Diamond League appearance in Lausanne, he unleashed a season-best throw of 89.49m, securing second place and boosting his total points to 14.

As the finals approach, all eyes will be on Chopra to see if he can replicate or surpass his previous Diamond League successes.

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