Neeraj Chopra, the Tokyo Olympics winner, made a stunning comeback to competitive action on Tuesday, breaking his own national record to take silver in the men’s javelin throw at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2022 in Turku, Finland.
Neeraj Chopra finished second with a personal best and national record of 89.30 metres, trailing Finland’s Oliver Helander, who won gold with a personal best of 89.83 metres.
Reigning world champion and 2022 season’s world leader Anderson Peters of Grenada claimed the bronze with 86.60m.
The meet in Finland was Neeraj Chopra’s first competition since winning the historic gold medal at Tokyo 2020 in August last year.
“Very nice competition, and I am very happy for my personal best and national record,” Neeraj Chopra said. “Oliver [Helander] had very good technique today. I tried maybe too much, because that was my first competition of this season. I will compete next in Kuortane after four days.”
The meet in Finland was Neeraj Chopra’s first competition since winning the historic gold medal at Tokyo 2020 in August last year
With a stunning 86.92m opening throw, the 24-year-old Indian made a statement of determination. In his second attempt, he cleared 89.30 metres, breaking his own personal best and national record of 88.07 metres established in the Indian Grand Prix 3 in March of last year.
The Indian, on the other hand, failed to make a legitimate attempt in his next three attempts before finishing with an 85.85. His second throw, on the other hand, was good enough for a silver medal.
London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago finished fourth in the 10-man field with 84.02m, while Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic came in sixth with 83.91m.
After Turku, Neeraj Chopra is scheduled to stay in Finland to compete at the Kuortane Games before heading to Sweden for the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League.hts Reserved.
