One-time Diamond League winner Neeraj Chopra is aiming for his second success in 2024. Neeraj, who’s competing in the Lausanne Diamond League today, will aim to qualify for the finals, which will be held in Brussels, Belgium, this August.
India’s golden boy Neeraj, has a strong record in the Diamond League, having won the title in 2022. He missed the top spot in 2023 when the Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch claimed first place with a throw of 84.24 metres. Paris Olympics silver medallist narrowly missed out on a medal, with a throw of 83.80 metres.
After winning the silver medal at the Paris Olympics, the Haryanvi javelin thrower is eyeing a first-place finish in the league by qualifying for the finals.
Current standings in the Diamond League 2023
Currently, in the standings, Neeraj Chopra is in fourth position with 7 points, while last year’s winner Jakub Vadlejch leads with 14 points. Neeraj missed the Paris Diamond League, which cost him some points, although he still has a decent score, thanks to the Doha Diamond League. Neeraj earned seven points in the Qatari capital, where he finished second with a throw of 88.36 metres, just 2 cm short of Vadlejch.
Anderson Peters of Grenada and Julian Weber are in second and third positions with 13 and 8 points respectively. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who will skip the Lausanne Diamond League, is in sixth position with five points.
Rank | Name | Country | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jakub Vadlejch | Czech Republic | 14 |
2 | Anderson Peters | Granada | 13 |
3 | Julian Weber | Germany | 8 |
4 | Neeraj Chopra | India | 7 |
5 | Andrian Mardare | Moldova | 7 |
6 | Arshad Nadeem | Pakistan | 5 |
7 | Oliver Helander | Finland | 5 |
8 | Artur Felfner | Ukraine | 4 |
9 | Edis MATUSEVICIUS | Lithuania | 3 |
10 | Roderick Genki Dean | Japan | 2 |
11 | Toni Keranen | Finland | 2 |
12 | Julius Yego | Kenya | 1 |
13 | Kishore Jena | India | 1 |
How Neeraj can qualify for the Diamond League
Following Lausanne, Zurich (on 5 September) marks the final opportunity to accumulate points before qualifying for the Diamond League final in Brussels on 13-14 September. The top six athletes in the Diamond League rankings after these four events will secure a spot in the final.
Neeraj is in good form; after winning the silver medal at the Paris Olympics, he is likely to secure his place in the finals.