On his second attempt, Neeraj Chopra threw 88.44m to come first and acquire the top spot on the podium.
The Diamond League trophy wrapped up a memorable season for Chopra. AP
After winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and a silver at the World Championships, Neeraj Chopra has now given himself a diamond to add to his decorated cabinet. On Thursday, the Indian javelin thrower scripted history by becoming the first Indian to ever win the renowned Diamond League trophy, an elite athletics competition. On his second attempt, the 24-year-old threw 88.44m to come first and acquire the top spot on the podium.
Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch, an Olympic silver medalist, came in second with a best throw of 86.94m recorded on his fourth attempt. With the best throw of 83.73m, German athlete Julian Weber finished third on the list.
Neeraj Chopra could not pull off a strong start as his initial attempt was judged a “no throw.” With a throw of 84.15m, Vadlejch seized the lead at the first stage. With a fantastic throw of 88.44m in his second attempt, Neeraj re-entered the race and shot to the top of the leaderboard. Then, in his subsequent attempts, Neeraj threw 88.00m, 86.11m, 87.00m, and 83.60m.
The historic achievement by the Indian athlete has unsurprisingly delighted fans. Numerous congratulatory messages flooded in for Chopra who has ushered in a brand-new era in Indian athletics.
The Athletics Federation of India tweeted a video of Chopra’s throw and asked the country to “salute” the “Diamond boy.”
A user said, “He was already a diamond, and now a diamond league champion.”
Another user got elated after watching the “no-look” celebration by Chopra.
BJP leader Y Satya Kumar congratulated the Indian with a video of his best throw.
Here are some other notable reactions:
– 1st Indian to win the Diamond League title
– Silver medal at the World Championships
– Two personal bests in less than 3 months
– A podium finish in all six events he competed in 2022What a year for Olympic champion #NeerajChopra ✨ pic.twitter.com/ieskIVMoGp
— Shyam Vasudevan (@JesuisShyam) September 8, 2022
Previously, when Neeraj Chopra won the Lausanne Diamond League in August with an 89.08m throw, the Tokyo Olympic champion created history by being the first Indian to win a leg of the Diamond League. In addition, it marked his return to competitive action after missing the Commonwealth Games due to an injury sustained at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene.
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