Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra had a quiet return to domestic competitions as he could only throw the spear at 82.27m, at the Federations Cup on Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. Playing his first event in India, in over three years, despite a below-average start, Neeraj still managed to bag the gold, in a field that also had DP Manu and Kishore Jena.
Neeraj Chopra Struggled in First Three Rounds
Neeraj, who had finished second at the Doha Diamond League last week, struggled in his first three throws, and was second in the roster. It was only in the fourth attempt that he could manage his best on the day. Meanwhile, Manu settled for a silver, with a best throw of 82.06m. Little known thrower Uttam Balasaheb Patil took home the bronze medal with a throw of 75.49m attempt.
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“It was nice to compete in India after so long. Thanks to all the fans who came out to support us today,” Neeraj said after the event, quoted as saying by the Indian Express.
Neeraj Said After Doha Diamond League..
“People have been asking me this question since 2018 when I threw 88.06 at the Asian Games,” Neeraj had said in Doha. “A lot of things happened after that, my elbow injury, the surgery and now I have been stuck between 88 and 90m.
“But I really want to break the barrier this year. Even last year, I had said that Doha is famous for 90m. But, we were not lucky due to too much headwind. Maybe tomorrow we’ll have a good day. Obviously, it is the Olympics year and India is a big country and everyone expects gold always. My focus is to just stay healthy and concentrate on my technique. And yes, if I stay healthy everything will be good.”
