Athlete Neeraj Chopra finishes second in Diamond League Final, only behind Anderson Peters
India’s Neeraj Chopra secured second place at the 2024 Diamond League Final in Brussels, narrowly trailing Grenada’s Anderson Peters. Neeraj’s best throw of 87.86m was just 0.01m short of Peters' winning attempt. Competing at the King Baudouin Stadium on September 14, Neeraj missed the Diamond Trophy by a whisker to Peters, who returned to form this season and claimed the prestigious title.
Germany's Julian Weber took third with a best throw of 85.97 meters. Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem and defending Diamond Trophy winner Jakub Vadlejch did not participate in the competition. In cold conditions of 10-13°C, Neeraj repeated his second-place finish from 2023, where he had lost to Vadlejch. Despite improving from last year, Neeraj’s effort fell just short of reclaiming the Diamond Trophy.
Neeraj began the event strongly with a throw of 86.82 meters but trailed Peters' opening mark of 87.87 meters. His third attempt of 87.86 meters was his best, but still 0.01m behind Peters. While Peters did not improve on his first throw, Neeraj kept the competition close but couldn’t surpass him with his subsequent throws of 82.04m, 83.30m, and 86.46m.
Neeraj, who has been dealing with a groin injury throughout the season, was cautious during the event, mindful of not aggravating his condition. He plans to consult doctors to determine if surgery is needed after the season. Peters, on the other hand, matched Neeraj’s best throw with his final attempt, sealing his victory.
This concludes Neeraj Chopra’s 2024 season, which included a silver medal at the Paris Olympics with a throw of 89.45m. Despite his strong performance, Neeraj couldn’t match his season-best on Saturday.