Neeraj Chopra triumphs at Ostrava but feels performance fell short

Neeraj Chopra secured the Golden Spike title in his debut appearance at the event, but the former Olympic champion expressed mixed feelings about his performance.

 

Chopra’s best throw of 85.29 meters was enough to claim victory in a field of nine competitors at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet on Tuesday.  Neeraj pleased with win, not performance

 

“While I’m pleased to have won the trophy, I’m not entirely satisfied with how I performed today,” Chopra said.

 

“I used to watch this competition as a youngster, admiring legends like Jan Zelezny and Usain Bolt win the Golden Spike. It was always my dream to achieve the same, and now that dream has come true,” added the two-time Olympic medallist.

 

Although he topped the competition, Chopra acknowledged that he fell short of his own expectations, especially with the enthusiastic crowd cheering him on. 

 

“Javelin is hugely popular here in Czechia, and the crowd support was incredible. I just wish I could have delivered a better performance for them,” he admitted. Chopra had crossed the 90-meter mark during his runner-up finish at the Doha Diamond League in May.

 

He secured his winning throw in the third round after opening with a foul and an 83.45m second attempt. Subsequent throws measured 82.17m and 81.01m, followed by another foul in the final round.

 

Despite not hitting his usual marks, the 27-year-old remains in strong form this season, coming off a recent Diamond League victory in Paris.

 

Chopra’s next competition will be the NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, where he is expected to face rivals Anderson Peters and Thomas Rohler.