Neeraj Chopra competed in Diamond League final with fractured hand
What's the story
India's double Olympic medalist and javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra, has revealed that he participated in the 2024 Diamond League season finale despite a fractured hand.
The injury occurred during a training session prior to the competition.
Despite this setback, Chopra secured the second place for the second consecutive year at the event held in Brussels, with a throw of 87.86m.
Injury revelation
Chopra details injury and determination to compete
Chopra disclosed the extent of his injury on social media, stating that he had fractured the fourth metacarpal in his left hand during practice.
Despite this painful challenge, he was determined to compete in Brussels with the support of his team.
He expressed gratitude toward his team for their assistance during this difficult time.
Season reflection
Chopra on season and future plans
Chopra acknowledged that he fell short of his own expectations this season but emphasized that it was a year of significant learning for him. He is now focused on returning fully fit for the next season.
The star Indian athlete's season was marred by fitness issues, including a persistent groin injury that has hindered his performance.
Twitter Post
Chopra reflects on his 2024 season
As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned through the year - about improvement, setbacks, mentality and more.
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) September 15, 2024
On Monday, I injured myself in practice and x-rays showed that I had fractured the fourth metacarpal in my left hand. It was another painful… pic.twitter.com/H8nRkUkaNM
Season end
Chopra's season ends on a high note
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Chopra achieved a throw of 89.45m, marking his second-best attempt at that time.
However, he had to settle for silver as Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem secured the gold medal with a record throw of 92.97m.
Despite this setback and ongoing injury concerns, Chopra remained determined and continued his season at the Lausanne Diamond League.
Final
Performance in Diamond League final
At the Diamond League final, Chopra started off strong with an initial throw of 86.82 meters, trailing closely behind Peters's first throw of 87.87 meters.
However, his second attempt fell short at 83.49 meters before rebounding in his third try with a mega throw of 87.86 meters.
This put him just behind eventual winner Anderson Peters by a mere 0.01 meter, keeping him in contention for the top spot throughout the event.