Neeraj Chopra Shatters Own National Record En Route To Paavo Nurmi Games 2022 Silver - WATCH

This is the first time Neeraj Chopra was competing at an international level after winning the historic Tokyo Olympics javelin gold last year. Neeraj recorded 89.30m on Tuesday.

Koushik Paul

Updated on: 15 June 2022 2:36 am

Neeraj Chopra threw the javelin at a distance of 89.30m at Paavo Nurmi Games 2022.

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra marked his return to competitive action in his first tournament in 10 months with a second-place finish at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2022 in Finland on Tuesday. Neeraj threw the javelin at a distance of 89.30m shattering his National Record and also personal best. (More Sports News)

Neeraj Chopra, who bagged India’s first-ever track and field Olympic gold in Tokyo last August, started off with an 86.92m throw in Turku. The best of Neeraj came in his second attempt when he threw at a distance of 89.30m and roared out loud with his trademark celebration.

New Indian record in mens javelin throw by Neeraj Chopra 89.30m. ?? World Athletics pic.twitter.com/rfF6dglveA
— Rahul PAWAR (@rahuldpawar) June 14, 2022

Neeraj’s previous best and national record was 88.07m which he achieved at the Indian Grand Prix in March 2021. Neeraj Chopra’s numbers on Tuesday also bettered his Tokyo Olympics gold medal-winning throw of 87.58m.

He fouled on his third, fourth and fifth attempts before eventually ending with a throw of 85.85m. Local Oliver Helander bagged the top spot with a throw of 89.93m while Anderson Peters of Granada came third with a throw of 86.60m.

Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra settles for a Silver Medal with a New National Record Throw of 89.30m at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland.@afi We can see several performance hikes in various events this season. Hope for more further. @Adille1 @Media_SAI @SPORTINGINDIAtw pic.twitter.com/cBLg4Ke8nh
— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) June 14, 2022

2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago was fourth with a best throw of 84.02m, followed by Germany's Julian Weber (84.02m) and Czech Republic's Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch (83.91m), who had won silver in Doha with a throw of 90.88m.

Neeraj was also the only Indian athlete competing at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2022. He will next head to Kuortane Games in Finland before flying to Sweden for the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League.