Neeraj Chopra made a stunning comeback with an 89.08m throw in his first attempt to clinch the title
Neeraj Chopra has scripted history yet again, becoming the first Indian to clinch a Diamond League title by winning the Lausanne leg. AP
India’s Neeraj Chopra etched his name in the record book yet again as he became the first Indian to win a Diamond League title. Chopra scripted history after clinching a victory in the Lausanne leg.
The Olympic champion who registered three valid throws including 89.08m throw said that the win is an important one for the country and further added that these tournaments provide more opportunities to the athletes.
“It was a special night, felt really good to win and most importantly made a comeback with a very good throw. Abhinav Bindra sir, IOC President Thomas Bach sir and the crowd were cheering for me, I enjoyed and felt really good to perform in such a great atmosphere,” Neeraj said.
“This win is very important for our country. I feel we shouldn’t be only focusing on the events that happen after four or two years. Competitions like Diamond League Meet or Continental Tour are really good opportunities for athletes. It happens every year, and it gives us opportunities to do well. It really helps prepare well for the major tournaments because world-class athletes participate here. Performing well in these tournaments will also help Indian Athletics and the sport.”
“I will be very happy to see more Indian athletes taking part in these competitions and I will be delighted to participate along with my fellow Indian athletes at a stage like this. Avinash Sable and Sreeshankar also participated in the Diamond League this year, so gradually our country is reaching this level and if we will perform better here, then it will help Indian athletics do well at bigger stages,” he added.
Neeraj who was ruled out of the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2022 due to a groin injury explained that a proper planned rehab helped him recovery quickly.
“I had to skip Commonwealth Games due to groin injury, and I felt that I will have to end the season. But there wasn’t much pain, so I had the belief that I will recover before the tournament. I made some good throws in the training and was feeling well, hence we made the decision to compete here. I did my rehab in Germany with my coach and physio Ishaan Marwaha. It went really well. I had very limited time to prepare but the proper planning in rehab helped me recover quickly,” the star javelin thrower said.
Talking about the Diamond League finals, Chopra said that he wants to end the season on a positive note and especially without an injury.
“Diamond League Finals in Zurich will be the season’s last competition, so the plan is to continue doing the same things which I’ve been doing. It’s only 10 days, I don’t have much time to do more or train extra. The focus will be to end the season on a positive note without any injury.”
Opening up about the 2023 World Championships, Chopra said that he can focus on other competitions as well as he has already made the qualification.
“It’s an advantage to qualify for the World Championship much in advance as there are other tournaments like Asian Games and Asian Championships lined up as well, so next year will be very important. And, then the Paris Olympics in 2024. So the World Championship qualification is already out of the picture, I can prepare well for all the competitions,” Neeraj said.
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