Neeraj Chopra shatters own National Record with 89.30m throw at Paavo Nurmi Games 2022
Neeraj Chopra could not have asked for a better way to return to competitive action for the first time since Tokyo Olympics as the Olympic gold medalist set a new National Record and personal best of 89.30m at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2022, a Continental Tour event in Turku, Finland on Tuesday, June 14.
Neeraj Chopra shattered his own National Record of 88.07m from March 2021. It was also the fifth-best throw of the season in the world so far. Neeraj had set his sights on crossing the 90m-mark after the Tokyo Games glory and it is safe to say that the Indian athlete is heading in the right direction.
Neeraj started the Continental Tour event, which was also his first competitive tournament since the Tokyo Games wherein he blew away the rest of the field to win the gold medal, with a throw of 86.92m.
In his second throw, Neeraj broke the national record. He made 3 valid attempts at the event in Finland and signed off with a throw of 85.85m.
Neeraj finished 2nd in the event behind Finland’s Oliver Helander, who sealed the top spot with a best throw of 89.83m. Reigning world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada finished at the 3rd spot with a best throw of 86.60m.
The Paavo Nurmi Games, a gold event in World Athletics Continental Tour, is one of the biggest track and field tournaments outside the Diamond League.
The throw of 89.30m from Tuesday was indeed better than his gold-medal winning throw of 87.58m at the Tokyo Olympics.
Neeraj Chopra will next compete at the Kuortane Games in Finland before he heads to the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League on June 30. He will then head to the Athletics World Championships from July 15 to 24 in Oregon before the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, starting July 28.
Neeraj Chopra shifted his training base to Finland wherein he has been undergoing a 28-day training camp with his coach Klaus Bartonietz.
