Javelin
Video
Recap
DIAMOND TROPHY AS A PARTING GIFT
The 90m-mark had been Neeraj Chopra’s (IND) defined goal. It still is after Weltklasse Zürich. However, the Olympic champion and world championship silver medallist hurled the 800g-javelin to 88.44m in his second attempt. The Indian superstar claimed the 2022 Wanda Diamond League title to the delight of his family, who were there at Letzigrund Stadium, getting to support him at an arena during an international competition for the first time. Jakub Vadlejc (CZE/86.94m) placed second.
Kara Winger (USA) won the women’s event. The world championship silver medallist defeated two-time world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber (AUS) and thus managed to end her career in style. Last week, she had set a new world leading performance (68.11). On Thursday night, the 36-year-old bid fans farewell by winning a Diamond Trophy. Zurich's final event was – probably – also Barbora Špotáková’s (CZE/5th) final competition. The two-time Olympic champion, three-time world champion and world record holder looks back on a magnificent career.
Switzerland’s Olympic triathlon champion Nicola Spirig, too, is bowing out after a great career. She received standing ovations by the “world’s finest crowd” at the arena, in which the member of the Zurich athletics club had won her first national title in the 5000m 13 years ago. Farewell – and all the best Nicola, Barbora and Kara!
Preview
NO ONE HAS MORE FOLLOWERS THAN CHOPRA
India’s Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra (24) is the most “followed” active athlete. A national hero in a country with 1.3 billion residents, the javelin thrower has more than six million Instagram followers. A number that is even more impressive when considering the country’s abundance of cricket and Bollywood stars. Neeraj was the first Indian athlete to win Olympic gold in an athletics event in 2021. This year, he claimed silver at the world championships. European champion Julian Weber had to make do with fourth place in Eugene. Tonight, the German will challenge Chopra.
In the women’s event, two-time world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber (30, AUS) is considered a favourite for the trophy.
Stats
Olympic Champion: Shiying LIU (CHN) 66.34
World Champion: Kelsey-Lee BARBER (AUS) 66.91
European Champion: Elina TZENGKO (GRE) 65.81
World Lead: Kara WINGER (USA) 68.11
Olympic Champion: Neeraj Chopra (IND) 87.58
World Champion: Anderson PETERS (GRN) 90.54
European Champion: Julian WEBER (GER) 87.66
World Lead: Anderson PETERS (GRN) 93.07
