CHENNAI: While the other Paris Olympic medallists are back in India, Neeraj Chopra is still competing on the circuit.
India's most decorated individual Olympian, despite niggles and an ongoing groin issue, has decided to end the season with a couple of Diamond League meetings at least. Before the Olympics, he did not want to risk aggravating his injury. Now, however, with the season winding down, the athlete is keen on ending it on a high.
For much of the night in Lausanne, during the Diamond League on Thursday, Neeraj looked a tad tired. A bit jaded. His series in the first four rounds were modest by his standards – 82.10m, 83.21m, 83.13m and 82.34m.
It seemed like the truly consistent throws were out of his reach. He had told reporters after the silver medal in Olympics that he was carrying a groin injury (adductor to be precise) and would assess with his team after the season. The sky looked gloomy and when Grenada’s Anderson Peters threw 90.61m in his last throw, Neeraj had to produce something spectacular.
Yet, it was not the last throw that Neeraj would be happy with. The penultimate throw of 85.58m gave him a lifeline and hope. Until then he was languishing in the fourth position behind Artur Felfner of Ukraine who had thrown 83.38m on his second attempt.
Germany's Julian Weber had a best 87.08m in his second throw and was lying second behind Peters who led with a 88.49m throw. It was a lifeline because if not for the 85.58m in his fifth throw, Neeraj, according to DL rule, would have been out. Only the top three get the final sixth throw.
Neeraj was third behind Peters and Weber after the fifth throw and was the last one to take the final throw. After Peters' 90.61m, Weber managed 82.33m.
Neeraj hurled the javelin with all his might and turned around and yelled. The javelin cut through the night sky and it seemed like it would breach the 90m-mark bit it tailed and fell at 89.49m – his season's best. His consistency was intact.
He has never failed to finish below second position in the last two years. For someone who prefers to lead right from the word go, Lausanne was a bit different. The allusion to "fighting spirit" he made during a conversation with the host broadcaster showed the importance of the last two throws. For a champion, it is not easy to be pushed from the perch. Neeraj also confessed how Julius Yego of Kernya helped him relax during his final throw. Initially, he said the body was not feeling very good. "I had to push myself mentally in the final throw because (Anderson) Peters had thrown 90m," he said.
Though the body was not feeling good, he said the fighting spirit helped him. "I really liked the comeback with the second best throw," he said.
Neeraj said that during his first few throws, he was thinking a bit too much. "I was thinking of doing this and that but in the last throw I did not think too much. He (Yego) told me relax and throw then you will throw far. I followed his advice. Even though my early throws were around 80-83 meters, I pushed hard in the last two attempts finishing strong. Competing at this high level, it's important to stay mentally tough and fight through."
Neeraj, speaking about his injury, said that it did not flare up post Paris. "After a treatment with my physio I felt good," he said.
He had some light throwing sessions after Paris at Magglingen, Switzerland. The 26-year-old did not want to stop with the Paris 2024 silver and continue with the season, especially after missing out on the first half before the Olympics.
He is expected to compete at Diamond League final in Brussels next.
