Daijiworld Media Network- Zurich

Zurich, Aug 29: India’s star javelin thrower and two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra had to settle for the runner-up spot for the third straight year in the Diamond League Final, as Germany’s Julian Weber delivered a breathtaking performance to clinch his maiden crown on Thursday.

Weber stole the show with two monstrous throws past the 90m mark, setting a new season-best world lead of 91.57m in the second round — also a personal best. His opening effort of 91.37m was enough to stamp authority, with all his five legal throws crossing 83m, leaving the rest of the field trailing far behind.

Chopra, 27, endured a below-par outing by his lofty standards. He opened with 84.35m, followed by an 82m throw and a foul. At halfway, he was placed third behind Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott. After two more fouls, the Indian regained his composure in the final round, producing an 85.01m throw to snatch back second place — edging Walcott by a mere six centimetres. Defending champion Anderson Peters of Grenada could only finish fourth with 82.06m.

Reacting after the event, Chopra remained positive: “This was not too bad. The World Championships are approaching, so I still need to throw further. Some things went well, some didn’t. But I am happy for Julian — he managed to throw really far. Showing 91m was really good,” he said.

Chopra, who crossed the magical 90m mark earlier this year in Doha, has otherwise been consistent in breaching the 88m barrier. His eyes are now firmly on Tokyo, where he will defend his World Championship title next month. “At major championships, gold is more important than the distance. I will give my best to win a medal,” he added.

For Weber, the triumph capped a stellar season where he has crossed 90m thrice, including a 91.06m effort in Doha. With Thursday’s victory, he also took a 3-1 lead over Chopra in 2025 head-to-head meetings, though the Indian still dominates overall with a 15-5 record.

Despite finishing second, Chopra continues his remarkable streak — he has not finished outside the top two in any competition since June 2021. Yet, on a night when Weber produced brilliance, the Indian ace had to settle for silver.