ZURICH: Olympic and World Champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra admitted he had a “hard day” at the Diamond League Final in Zurich after settling for silver with a best effort of 85.01m. His incredible streak of finishing in the top two at international events, however, remained intact — stretching now to 26 consecutive competitions.
Germany’s Julian Weber stole the show with two sensational 91-plus throws, clinching gold with a massive 91.51m effort in his second attempt. Trinidad and Tobago’s 2012 Olympic gold medalist Keshorn Walcott finished third with 84.95m.
Neeraj began with throws in the early 80s, followed by three consecutive fouls that nearly ended his remarkable top-two run. But the 26-year-old Indian pulled off a clutch final throw of 85.01m to secure second place.
Reflecting on his performance, Neeraj said, “Today was a hard day. The timing wasn’t ideal, and my run-up wasn’t good. I couldn’t find my rhythm, but I still managed over 85m in my last attempt. I have three weeks until the World Championships, and I will give my best. I feel good — I just need to find better timing.”
Weber maintained his dominance throughout, producing 91.37m in his first attempt and improving it to 91.51m in the second, leaving the rest of the field chasing. Neeraj slipped to third midway after his fouls but redeemed himself in the final round.
Neeraj, who became the first Indian to win the Diamond League Final in 2022 at the same venue, has since finished runner-up in 2023, 2024, and now in 2025.
