Neeraj Chopra eyes 90m mark after claiming gold at World Athletics Championships 2023

Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra clinched a gold medal on August 27 at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. After being crowned the new world champion in the men's javelin event, his next aim is to produce a throw of 90m.

The 25-year-old is all set to represent India at the Zurich leg of the Diamond League on Thursday. It is worth mentioning that last week in Hungary, he produced a stupendous 88.17m throw and became the first Indian to win a track and field gold at the prestigious World Championships.

Ahead of the 2023 Zurich Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra spoke at a pre-event discussion. The star javelin thrower said,

"Because of my groin injury I didn't compete too much this year and from May until World Championships, I just did five, six throwing sessions and not even full run up."

The reigning Olympic Champion further said,

"The World Championships was challenging for me but I was very prepared from my mind. I was thinking ok I have some problem but I changed a little bit technique with my right leg and it works. But the World Championship was hard, not only with body but also mind, because in my country there are so many people and too much pressure with me. The World Championships was the only gold medal I didn't have before. I won the Olympics in Tokyo and now World Championships gold. I just have this 90m mark now."

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Neeraj Chopra's accomplishments

It is noteworthy that Chopra is also the reigning Diamond League champion. He won the finals last year in Zurich with a throw of 88.44m. Therefore, he has already claimed the top spot on the podium at almost all the major events including the Olympics, the Diamond League and now the World Athletics Championships.

In 2023 as well, the star athlete has been unbeaten at the two Diamond League meetings in which he participated. Neeraj finished in first position at the Doha leg of the Diamond League with a superb 88.67m effort. Later, he also won the Lausanne leg with an 87.66m throw.

It is worth mentioning that his personal best throw is 89.94m. Meanwhile, in the qualifying round of the men's javelin throw at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Neeraj Chopra produced his season's best throw of 88.77m. With that, he also qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024. Hence, he will now look to go beyond that mark and excel at the upcoming events.