World Athletics Championships | Chopra primed to win gold, Pakistan's Nadeem also in reckoning
The Hindu
Neeraj Chopra primed to win javelin gold in Budapest. He has won gold in Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Diamond League. His first throw of 88.77m was season's best and fourth best of career. Rivals Peters, Vadlejch, and Weber have struggled, leaving Nadeem as main contender. Chopra has beaten Nadeem in all events, but Pakistani can't be written off.
A single big throw having taken him to the final once again while his close rivals struggled, Neeraj Chopra is primed to nail the World Championships javelin throw gold medal in Budapest on August 27, to lift the gloom in the Indian camp after the country's disappointing campaign so far.
Chopra, who won silver in the last edition, sent his spear to 88.77m in his first attempt in the qualification round on Friday to also qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics. It was his season's best effort and fourth best throw of his career.
The 25-year-old has won gold medals in Olympics (Tokyo in 2021), Asian Games (2018) and Commonwealth Games (2018), besides becoming the Diamond League champion last year.
It is no secret that the Olympic champion prefers to throw big in his first attempt and having done that, he packed up and left the competition arena without making any further attempt to preserve strength for the all-important final on Sunday.
Chopra did the same in the last edition qualification round in USA with a 88.39m -- though he finished second behind eventual champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, who threw 89.91m.
The same happened in Tokyo Olympics also, where he won a historic gold.
Even though Chopra has competed in just two top events this season -- winning title in both Doha and Lausanne Diamond League Meetings, his top class throw here on Friday showed that he's in great form and rhythm, and on course to win the only yellow colour medal missing in his decorated cabinet.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.