Neeraj Chopra does not need to look where the javelin would land. On Friday evening in Doha, he raised his hands triumphantly even as he hurled the spear. It all depends on the release and the feeling, as he always says. But on that warm night during the Doha Diamond League, the javelin hit an elusive mark—90.23 metres—a distance that had turned into a national obsession. With this throw, Chopra joined the select club of those who have hurled past 90 m; but it is just an embellishment on his impressive CV. After golds and silvers at the Olympics and world championships, he has little to prove. Until Doha, Chopra, the world number two, was one of only two athletes in the top six without a legitimate 90 m throw. A new coach, some hateful trolls targeting him for inviting Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem to a Bengaluru event (postponed later) just before the Pahalgam massacre, and an intense pressure to perform did not deter him from his focus. Strong mental fortitude is a hallmark of a champion and Chopra has dollops of it.
The 27-year-old’s consistency remains impeccable. He has finished within the top two in each of the last 20 finals. However, at the last four meets he has finished second. For an athlete who has dominated conversations in the world of javelin every time he has competed, this could be a trifle disturbing. Even in Doha, he was cruising along until German Julian Weber pulled off a spectacular last throw of 91.06 m. It was a similar fate at the Paris Olympics, where Nadeem pushed Chopra to the second spot with a monstrous 92.97 m throw. This being a World Championships year, everyone will be looking towards Tokyo with hope.
The Doha meet showed Chopra has moved on from his former coach Klaus Bartonietz. With Jan Železný by his side—a Czech great who has over 50 recorded throws beyond 90 m—Chopra would be hoping to hurl beyond the coveted mark many more times this year. The injury he spoke of during the Olympics seems to have healed. For the most consistent Indian champion with a strong mind, this could be another glorious year. The augury has been good, but it all depends on how he finishes the year. For that, remaining injury-free would be a top priority.