New Delhi: Neeraj Chopra commenced his season by launching the javelin to a distance of 84.52m at the Potch Invitational Meet held in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on Wednesday.

The two-time Olympic champion dominated the six-man competition, securing victory at the World Athletics event by a significant margin. South Africa's Douw Smit followed with a throw of 82.44m. Chopra demonstrated excellent rhythm and control as he gradually accelerated on the runway, executed a seamless transition to his crossover steps, and firmly planted his left leg for the block and throw.

It is important not to overanalyze Chopra’s initial performance of the season. His first major competition will be the Diamond League in Doha on May 16, where he is expected to face some of the top javelin throwers globally. This event will provide valuable insights into Chopra’s training under his new coach, Jan Zelezny.

Chopra has made a strong start in his previous two seasons at the Doha Diamond League, achieving impressive throws of 88.67m and 88.36m in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

This year, his primary objective will be to defend his world championship title in Tokyo. Additionally, surpassing the 90m mark is another goal Chopra aims to achieve this season. At the Paris Olympics, he recorded a throw of 89.45m but fell short of Arshad Nadeem’s remarkable 92.97m, resulting in a second-place finish—an outcome he is not accustomed to.

One of the key motivations for bringing Zelezny, a three-time Olympic and world champion, into the team is to refine his technique to enhance the distance of his throws. No one understands how to consistently achieve throws exceeding 90 meters better than the iconic Czech athlete. He has accomplished this feat numerous times, with his record throw of 98.48 meters from 1996 still holding as the world record.

Chopra is currently training with Zelezny in Potchefstroom, and the competition scheduled for Wednesday will provide an opportunity to evaluate his fitness and training progress.

Under the guidance of German coach Klaus Bartonietz, Chopra has demonstrated remarkable consistency, regularly reaching distances between 88 and 89 meters over the past three seasons. Last year, he surpassed the 89-meter mark three times, including twice during the Paris Olympics. In 2023, he achieved 88 meters on four occasions, while in 2022, he recorded his personal best of 89.94 meters. With an increasing number of throwers exceeding the 90-meter threshold, Chopra recognizes the necessity of joining this elite group.

Asian U18 Athletics

At the Asian U18 Athletics Championship in Saudi Arabia, India’s Shourya Ambure secured a bronze medal in the girls' 100m hurdles, achieving a personal best of 13.80 seconds. The gold and silver medals were claimed by China’s Bao Yinyin (13.71 seconds) and He Yihui (13.76 seconds), respectively.

In the girls' discus throw, India’s Lakshita Mahlawat earned a bronze medal with a throw of 41.30 meters, while China’s Ma Chenyi took home the gold with a distance of 53.81 meters.

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