Record throw augurs bright year for Neeraj
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.
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