India’s Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra improves national record, but misses 90m club in Turku

India's Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra started his 2022 competitive season after a long gap of nearly 10 months at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland. He did so with a big bang, late on Tuesday night. Paavo Nurmi Games is part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series.

The 24-year-old Indian hurled the spear to a distance of 89.30m in his second attempt, to improve his own national record of 88.07m, set last year at a domestic meet in Patiala, Punjab.

The Indian superstar finished second, but failed to break the 90m barrier in the competition. The Turku competition was Chopra’s first competition of 2022. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games held last year in Japan, the Indian thrower won gold with a distance of 87.58m. He became the first Indian to win Olympic track and field gold.

Finland’s Oliver Helander was the winner of the men’s javelin event with a throw of 89.83m. World leader Anderson Peters of Grenada couldn’t find his rhythm in the competition. His best throw in the competition was 86.60m.

Road ahead for Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj Chopra’s Tuesday performance of 89.30m in Turku also sends a warning signal to his rivals. Despite not being competitively sharp - he didn’t compete in the last 10 months after winning gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games - he still has the confidence to match the best in the world.

Chopra’s first attempt was 86.92m. The javelin thrower from Haryana couldn’t find a good rhythm in his next three attempts. All three throws were not legal. On his sixth and final throw, Chopra recorded a plus 85m throw. One of the goals Chopra has set this year is to enter the 90m club.

Competing at the Eugene World Athletics Championships scheduled to be held in Oregon, USA, from July 15-24, is his second goal. He will also compete in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games as the defending champion.

Chopra’s next stop will be the Kuortane Games on June 18 in Finland. The main goal will be next month’s World Athletics Championship, followed by the Commonwealth Games.