Weber’s 91m heave denies Chopra Diamond League Gold; Neeraj Chopra takes silver again

India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finished second at the Zurich Diamond League final with a best throw of 85.01m. Germany’s Julian Weber claimed gold with a massive personal best of 91.51m. This marks Chopra’s third consecutive Diamond League silver medal since his 2022 title win.

Zurich: India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was not able to win his second gold medal in the Diamond League final held in Zurich, Switzerland. He could not cross the 90-meter mark even once during the entire tournament and eventually had to settle for second place, i.e., the silver medal.

This is the third consecutive silver medal for him. Julian Weber of Germany performed brilliantly with a personal best throw of 91.51 meters and won the title.

Competition phase and Neeraj's struggle

German athlete Julian Weber dominated the final from the very first attempt. His first throw was 91.37 meters, while Neeraj's first attempt was only 84.34 meters. This initial big difference boosted Weber's morale, and Neeraj remained under mental pressure.

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Meanwhile, Keshorn Walcott had briefly secured second place with a throw of 84.95 meters. Weber performed even better in his second attempt, throwing 91.51 meters, which proved to be the best and decisive throw of the entire final.

At the same time, Neeraj Chopra was seen struggling to find rhythm. His second throw was 82 meters, which was more disappointing. After this, his three attempts (third, fourth, and fifth) were fouled, which clearly showed that he was not fully in this competition technically and mentally.

In his last and sixth attempt, he threw a throw of 85.01 meters, which gave him second place, but he missed the gold medal.

Neeraj's Diamond League journey

Neeraj Chopra, who created history by winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, has put India's name on the world stage in javelin throw. He is the first Indian to win the Diamond League title in 2022.

However, since that historic win, he has consistently won silver medals in the next three editions (2023 Eugene, 2024 Brussels, and 2025 Zurich). This is an area where the competition at the world level is extremely tough, and a small mistake can make a big difference.

Neeraj's performance shows that he is still competing at the top level, but maintaining the best form is a constant challenge for him in the recent years.