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One and done: Neeraj Chopra storms into Worlds final
For the first time in World Championships, the 12-man javelin competition will feature 3 Indians as Neeraj was joined by DP Manu and Kishore Jena in the final
For about three years now, the expression 'one and done' has come to define Neeraj Chopra who has made a habit of owning the big stage by logging in a big early throw. From Tokyo to Zurich, Chopra's penchant to put the field under pressure has seen him rise to the top with ease, and Friday was no different. An opening throw of 88.77m on a rather hot Budapest afternoon — the temperature hovered in early 30s — sent the Olympic champion into a second straight World Championships final where he will start as one of the favourites to end India's wait for a Worlds gold medal.
For the first time in Championships' 40-year history, the 12-man javelin final will have three Indians as Chopra will be joined by DP Manu and Kishore Jena, both of who made it to their first Worlds finals. In fact, three Indians competing in a single final is a first at World Championships in any discipline — track as well as field events combined — and only the second occasion of multiple Indians appearing in the same final. At the Eugene World Championships last year, Chopra — who won a silver — had compatriot Rohit Yadav for company in the final, making it the first instance of multiple Indians competing in the same Worlds final.
Yadav qualified for this year's World Championships too but a surgery on his right elbow ruled him out. There were no such hiccups for Chopra though who was competing after nearly two months since winning the Lausanne Diamond League. He showed no signs of rust and produced an excellent first throw. He lifted his arms, pumped his fist, and left the venue without taking any of his remaining two attempts.
It was a throwback to Tokyo Olympics and Eugene Worlds where he had topped the qualifications without any fuss. The distance also meant that Chopra has qualified for next year's Paris Olympics where he will defend his gold. The cut-off mark for the Olympics is 85.50m and the qualifying window began on July 1.
The automatic qualifying mark for Worlds final was set at 83m and 12 best throwers, divided in two groups, made the cut. Slotted in Group A with Germany's Julian Weber and Grenada's world champion Anderson Peters, Chopra was the lone thrower to cross the mark. Weber's 82.39m was the next best result while Manu recorded 81.31m to finish third in the group. Peters, who has struggled for consistency this season, could manage only 78.49m and failed to make the final. Only four throwers could touch the 80m mark, a fairly regulation distance at elite level.
Kishore Jena, whose chances to compete at the Worlds were almost nipped in the bud due to visa issues, was named in Group B with Commonwealth Games champion from Pakistan, Arshad Nadeem, and Czech Republic's Olympics silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch. Nadeem, competing for the first time this year, sent the spear 86.79m and topped his group. Vadlejech was next with 83.50m while Jena's 80.55m placed him fifth in his group and ninth in the final list. Besides Chopra, only Nadeem and Vadlejch could breach the qualifying distance; the rest qualified by virtue of finishing in top 12.
The competition
Sunday's final thus puts Chopra in prime position to become the first Indian athlete to win two World Championships medals, and possibly the lone gold medallist. With Peters missing, Chopra's main challengers will be Nadeem, Vadlejch, and Weber. The Indian enjoys a positive head-to-head against all three. Across his eight meetings with Nadeem in seven years, Chopra has beaten him on all occasions. Chopra skipped the Birmingham Commonwealth Games where the Pakistani won a gold while breaching the 90m barrier.
Against Vadlejch, Chopra enjoys an 11-6 advantage that reads 9-0 in the Indian's favour since Tokyo Games. Germany's Weber trumped Chopra in their first two meetings in 2016 but since then, the Indian enjoys a 9-0 advantage over him.
Finland's Oliver Helander could be a surprise challenger, being the only finalist to get better of Chopra in recent past. Helander produced a throw of 89.83m last year to win Paavo Nurmi Games where Chopra's personal best and national record of 89.30m could only win him a silver. However, Chopra hasn't lost to the Finn in the four meetings that have followed.
The Indian has won all three events he has participated in this year, his last loss coming 13 months back when Peters got the better of him at the Worlds final. He has competed against 10 of the 11 competitors that will go against him on Sunday, enjoying a stunning 51-9 stronghold over the field. With plenty of big stage pedigree under his belt, it all points towards a dreamy Sunday for Chopra — and India — in Budapest.
