Less than two weeks have passed since Neeraj Chopra's impressive Silver medal win at the Paris Olympics, and he is already gearing up for his next challenge in the men's javelin throw event at the Lausanne Diamond League. Despite missing the Paris meet before the Olympics to ensure his adductor was in top condition, Neeraj is determined to secure a spot in the top six to advance to the final in Brussels next month. Currently holding the fourth position, Neeraj is focused on solidifying his standing as he heads into the final showdown.
At the top of the standings sits Crezhias Jakub Vadlejch with 14 points. Vadlejch, who claimed victory at the Doha meet in May and placed third in Paris, poses as Neeraj's strongest competitor in Lausanne, especially with Arshad Nadeem absent from the competition on Thursday, August 22 in Switzerland. Neeraj is ready to face the challenge head-on and showcase his skills on the international stage once again.
How does Diamond League points system work?
In the Diamond League for men's javelin throw, there are four prestigious meets - Doha, Paris, Lausanne, and Zurich. Following these events, the top six athletes will compete for the ultimate victory in the final, as there are no medals awarded in the Diamond League.
In this competition, athletes earn points based on their performance in each meet. The winner of a meet receives eight points, the second-place finisher gets seven, the third-place finisher earns six, and so on. For example, Vadlejch secured first place in Doha, earning 8 points, and finished third in Paris, earning 6 points.
Another standout athlete in the Diamond League is Anderson Peters, who won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Peters finished third in Doha, earning 6 points, and second in Paris, earning 7 points. As a result, he currently holds the second position on the points table.
How many points does Neeraj need to qualify for finals?
Since Neeraj finished second in Doha, he has accumulated seven points, as he did not participate in the Paris meet. Currently, Neeraj is in fourth position, trailing behind Vadlejch (14), Peters (13), and Julian Weber (8), who emerged victorious in the Paris leg. A top-two finish in Lausanne could potentially secure Neeraj a spot in the final, but nothing is certain.
Competing alongside Neeraj will be Vadlejch, Peters, Weber, Adrian Mardare, Lassi Etelatalo of Finland, Julius Yego of Kenya, Edis Matusevicius of Lithuania, and Artur Felfner of Ukraine, all of whom are among the top eight in the standings. Notably absent from the entry list for Lausanne are Oliver Helander and Nadeem.
Following his Silver win at the Olympics, Chopra revealed that he is still grappling with his adductor injury and is determined to overcome it. His performance in Lausanne will undoubtedly impact the timeline for his recovery, especially with the Zurich meet scheduled for September 5 and the finals set for September 13-14 in Brussels.
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