Neeraj Chopra clinches silver in Stockholm Diamond League; 6cm shy of 90m mark
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STOCKHOLM: Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra on Thursday smashed a national record to secure his maiden top-3 finish at the prestigious Diamond League Meeting, but missed out by inches the 90 meter mark.
The 24-year-old Chopra threw an astounding 89.94m, just 6 cm from 90m mark, to finish second. His other throws measured 84.37m, 87.46m, 84.77m, 86.67 and 86.84m.
He broke his previous national record of 89.30m with his spear when he finished second at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, on June 14.
World champion and seasoned leader Anderson Peters of Grenada threw 90.31 meters in the third attempt to win the event.
"Today, I feel good and after first throw, I thought I could throw even over 90m today. But it is OK as I have more competitions coming this year," Chopra said after the event.
"I am close to 90m now and I can throw it this year. Despite the fact that I did not win tonight, I feel very good because I did my best."
Chopra has twice beaten Peters this month. Once in Turku, where the Grenada athlete finished third, and the other at the Kuortane Games in Finland, where the Indian superstar threw 86.69m to win gold despite wet and slippery conditions.
Chopra's first throw raised hopes of making history by becoming the first Indian to win a Diamond League event. However, he became only the second Indian after discus thrower Vikas Gowda to finish in the top three in a Diamond League event.
This is Chopra's first Diamond League appearance in four years after his fourth-place finish in Zurich in August 2018.
He has taken part in seven Diamond League meets -- three in 2017 and four in 2018.
The prestigious one-day meet in the Swedish capital is Chopra's biggest event ahead of the July 15-24 World Championships in Eugene, US.
With PTI inputs
