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Neeraj Chopra, three other Indians to compete at Doha Diamond League meeting

Besides Neeraj Chopra, 44 individual and relay medallists from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and 2023 World Athletics Championships will compete at the Doha meet

Neeraj Chopra in action. (FILE photo)

Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will have the company of three other compatriots in the Doha leg of Diamond League Meeting on May 16, as the country will have maximum representation ever in a DL event. The other two Indians in the fray are national record holder Gulveer Singh, who is making his Diamond League debut, in men’s 5000m and Parul Chaudhary in the women’s 3000m steeplechase. Chaudhary is the national record holder in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.

Neeraj, who won the meet in 2023 (88.67m) and finished second in 2024 (88.36m), will be joined by Kishore Jena in the men’s javelin throw. Jena took part in 2024 as well and had finished ninth with a throw of 76.31m. The star-studded field in the men’s javelin throw will have the likes of two-time world champion and Paris Olympics bronze winner Anderson Peters of Grenada, 2024 winner Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic, Julian Weber and Max Dehning of Germany, Julius Yego of Kenya and Roderick Genki Dean of Japan.

In April, Neeraj had thrown 84.52m at the Potch Invitational Meet, McArthur Stadium, Potchefstroom but this will officially be the first main event of the season for him. With men’s javelin not featuring in the two Chinese meets of the Diamond League season, Doha usually is the curtain-raiser for this discipline and will give us an indication of where Neeraj stands at the start of the build-up to World Championships in Tokyo.

Doha has a reputation for being a good hunting ground for javelin and Neeraj had told the organisers recently that he was looking forward to see how much farther he can go, working with world record holder Jan Zelezny as his new coach. “Last year taught me a lot, but I was proud to be on the podium for India once again at the Olympic Games. I’m now fully fit and really enjoying the hard work that Jan Železný and I are putting in. I’m looking forward to opening my season in Doha. The crowd at the Qatar Sports Club is always loud, and I think that brings out the best in all of us. I know the fans expect big things from me when I compete here – and with good conditions and a great atmosphere that’s definitely possible – but I pride myself on my consistency, which I believe is one of my greatest strengths. For me, that’s more important than just chasing a number,” he said.