Neeraj Chopra qualifies for World Athletics Championships: Details here
Indian javelin ace Neeraj Chopra began his campaign with a massive 88.77m throw at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest (Hungary) on Friday. Neeraj finished on top of Group A and sealed qualification for the event. Notably, no one else in his group managed to clock the qualification mark of 83.00m. Here are the details.
Key details of the event
Neeraj required just one throw to notch qualification. Meanwhile, Germany's Julian Weber finished in second position with a best throw of 82.39m and India's DP Manu came third with an 81.31m best throw. However, Manu's qualification is still not guaranteed.
Neeraj is confident about clocking a 90m throw
Ahead of the Worlds, Neeraj spoke about reaching the 90m mark. In a conversation with Jio Cinema, he said, "Definitely, I'm close. I just need one perfect day with favorable weather conditions and I am confident I'll be able to achieve the throw." He also said he is accustomed to handling pressure and spoke about being responsible in the major events.
Key stats for Neeraj
Neeraj's best throw to date is 89.94m, which he bagged at the Stockholm Diamond League in 2022. It is also India's men's national record and Neeraj's personal best. Meanwhile, his best at the Worlds came during qualification at Oregon 2022, where he registered 88.39m. Neeraj secured the silver medal at the Worlds in Oregon (men's javelin throw final) with a best throw of 88.13m.
Lausanne Diamond League: Neeraj clinched a gold medal, scripted history
In August 2022, Neeraj clocked a monster 89.08m throw. Notably, none of the competitors came close. Czech Republic's Jakub Vadlejch finished second with a best attempt of 85.88m. USA's Curtis Thompson took third place on the podium. This was the first time an Indian athlete clinched the top spot in a Diamond League meet.
