Twitter erupts as Neeraj Chopra comes agonisingly close with sensational last throw at Doha Diamond League 2024
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Neeraj Chopra finished second, narrowly missing out on the top spot.
Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra started his 2024 season with a second-place finish at the Diamond League meet in Doha on Friday. The Indian star finished a mere two centimeters behind Czech Republicโs Jakub Vadlejch, who won with a throw of 88.38m.
Chopra opened with a foul before recording 84.93m in his second attempt. The 25-year-old found his rhythm in the third round, unleashing an 86.24m throw to take the lead momentarily. However, Vadlejch responded with his winning 88.38m effort in the same round.
Despite improving to 86.18m and 82.28m over the next two rounds, Chopra remained in second position heading into the final round. With just the top three throwers remaining, the Indian saved his best for last, uncorking an 88.36m missile to surpass his previous best of the competition.
Former world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada took third place with 86.62m.
Indiaโs other entrant, Kishore Kumar Jena, failed to impress, recording a best of 76.31m to finish ninth. The Odisha native will look to regain his 2023 form at the upcoming Federation Cup in his home state on May 15, where Chopra is also slated to compete on home soil for the first time since his Tokyo Olympics triumph.
Twitter was abuzz with praise for Chopraโs gritty performance, with fans lauding his ability to raise his game in the decisive final round. Many also highlighted the thrilling competition between Chopra and Vadlejch, foreshadowing an epic rivalry as the duo builds towards the Paris Olympics.
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