Indian javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra has revealed that he competed in the Diamond League Final with a broken hand where he finished as runner-up for the second consecutive year. In his latest post on X (formerly Twitter), Chopra shared his struggles from the final in Brussels where he finished second with an 87.86m throw, only behind Grenada's Anderson Peters. Neeraj had fallen short by just one centimetre behind Peters, who's winning throw was 87.87m. Peters, a two-time world champion, set the winning mark with his opening throw. Julian Weber of Germany secured third place with a throw of 85.97m.
Neeraj took to social media and shared the X-ray image of his left hand which showed a fracture on his ring finger. Neeraj had looked concerned after completing most of his throws in the final and seemed to be not pushing himself too hard. The Paris Olympic silver medallist explained that despite his injury, he was determined to compete in the season's last competition. Though he couldn't meet his personal expectations, he felt the experience had taught him valuable lessons.
"As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned through the year—about improvement, setbacks, mentality, and more. 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 challenge for me. But with the help of my team, I was able to participate in Brussels," Chopra wrote.
As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned through the year - about improvement, setbacks, mentality and more.
"This was the last competition of the year, and I wanted to end my season on the track. While I couldn’t meet my own expectations, I feel this was a season in which I learned a lot. I am now determined to return, fully fit and ready to go. I want to thank all of you for your encouragement. 2024 has made me a better athlete and person. See you in 2025," he added.
NEERAJ'S OUTING IN BRUSSELS
Neeraj Chopra finished second in the Diamond League Final on Saturday, September 14, behind Grenadian javelin thrower Anderson Peters. Competing at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Neeraj's best attempt of 87.86 meters was just one centimetre short of Peters’ winning throw of 87.87 meters.
Chopra started the competition strong, launching his first throw at 86.82 meters, placing him behind Peters. The competition intensified as Peters hit 87.87 meters in his first attempt. Neeraj, trailing by just over one meter, was unable to improve on his second attempt, managing 83.49 meters. However, he bounced back with a massive throw of 87.86 meters on his third attempt, narrowly missing the top spot by a centimetre.
This marks the second year in a row that Neeraj Chopra has finished as runner-up in the prestigious Diamond League Final. In 2023, the Indian javelin star fell short of defending his Diamond Trophy, losing to Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch. In that event, Neeraj threw 83.80 meters, while Vadlejch secured the title with a throw of 84.24 meters.
While Chopra had won the Diamond League title in 2022, this year's runner-up finish added to a remarkable season where he also clinched a silver medal at the Paris Olympics. Despite the injury and challenges, Chopra concluded his season on a high and expressed his determination to return stronger next year.
Source: India Today