Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra gears up for a crucial competition at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, on Tuesday. While the spotlight might fall on his potential clash with young German thrower Max Dehning, Neeraj’s primary focus will be testing his fitness and form ahead of the Paris Olympics.
Fitness check before Paris Olympics
Neeraj Chopra skipped the Ostrava Golden Spike last month due to a minor adductor muscle issue. Turku will be his final major test before the Olympics, offering a valuable opportunity to assess his physical readiness for the big stage.
A pain-free competition will be a significant confidence boost for the 26-year-old.
High 80s: Target Score for Neeraj Chopra
After a dip in his last outing at the Federation Cup, Neeraj aims to return to the high 80-meter range in Turku. A throw exceeding 88 meters would be a positive sign, indicating his technique and power are on track.
Max Dehning: Rising star
While 19-year-old Max Dehning’s recent 90-meter throw grabbed headlines, his performance since then hasn’t quite matched the hype. Currently throwing in the 80-82 meter range, Dehning is unlikely to be Neeraj’s biggest challenge in Turku.
Weakened field in Paavo Nurmi Games
Several top competitors, including Jakub Vadlejch (Neeraj’s closest rival in recent seasons) and Julian Webber, have withdrawn from the Turku competition.
This unexpected turn of events leaves the field somewhat open, with Neeraj’s main competition likely coming from local favorite Oliver Helander (2022 winner) and Grenada’s Anderson Peters (2022 World Champion).
Setting high standards ft Neeraj Chopra
Despite his impressive list of achievements, Neeraj only considers one of his throws truly special – his 86.48 meters at the World Under-20 Championships in 2016. This relentless pursuit of perfection fuels his ongoing quest for improvement.
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Focus on fitness over spectacle
While a record-breaking throw would be exciting, Neeraj’s primary goal in Turku is to ensure a pain-free performance that demonstrates his competition readiness. The Olympics are his ultimate focus, and a smooth outing in Finland will be a crucial step on that journey.
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