Unpopular Opinion: World no. 1 Neeraj Chopra not favorite to win Diamond League Final

We are heading in to the season-ending Diamond League Final in Brussels, and the Indian fans are looking forward to it as Neeraj Chopra would be competing in men’s javelin, while Avinash Sable would make his presence felt in 3000m steeplechase. But let’s just straightway talk about the bigger medal prospect — double Olympic medalist Neeraj.

Athletics

3 months

Neeraj Chopra eyes 90m throw at Brussels Diamond League final, no Arshad Nadeem in contest

Look, there is no doubt he is the best javelin thrower in the world currently, is ranked no. 1 in the discipline, and is once again a strong contender to lift the title. But does that really guarantee him a 1st place finish in the Diamond League Final? Unfortunately, for him and his fans, no. Of course, he is on the back of two second place finishes — first at the Paris Olympics, where he had a best throw of 89.45m, and then at Lausanne Diamond League, with a best throw of 89.49m, but that distance is not proving enough.

Neeraj’s consistency can’t be beaten by any javelin thrower in the world, but then, there are athletes who are capable of producing just that one mammoth throw, that can dislodge the Indian from the top position. And this is where the 26-year-old misses out.

90m Roadblock for Neeraj Chopra

To be honest, 90m isn’t much of a real issue. It is all media created and there’s no real value in it, if Neeraj gets the results without achieving the 90m mark. But then, as has been the case, at Paris, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem broke the 92m barrier to clinch gold, while the Indian struggled to get past 90m. Not that he can’t achieve it, but it is all about breaking that mental barrier.

Neeraj Might Not Win Diamond League Final

Apologies already for making this blasphemous statement, but look at the Diamond League Final field in the men’s javelin throw. There is a certain Anderson Peters in the fray, who has a PB of 93.07m, and a season’s best of 90.61m. He is also the Paris bronze medalist, who has been in fine nick throughout 2024. Neeraj might come up with six excellent throws, and Peters might have five poor ones, but his one outstanding throw cant result in a heartbreak for us.

Then there is Germany’s Julian Weber with a PB of 89.54m, and a season’s best of 88.64m. What if he crosses the 90m barrier at the Brussels Diamond League Final. These are real concerns for sure. Also, we need to factor in the fact, that Neeraj might not be a 100% fit. He had opened up about his injury concerns after the Olympics, and also hinted at a possible need for a surgery.

He went to reveal that, due to the same reason, he hasn’t been able to push his body to the extreme limits, and once he does that, 90m and much more will be well within his reach. So, if we combine all these factors, plus the element of luck, then perhaps Neeraj Chopra might just get pipped by Peters or Weber.

Athletics Chak De India Avinash Sable Neeraj Chopra