Neeraj Chopra qualifies for Diamond League Finals despite missing three events

India's Olympic double medallist javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra, secured a spot in the 2026 Diamond League Finals on Thursday, despite missing three out of the five events this calendar year. Chopra will compete in Brussels on September 4 and 5, following his second-place finish at the Lausanne Diamond League last week, where he recorded a season-best throw of 88.05 metres.

Chopra's place in the final was secured, despite missing the Zurich Diamond League, where Commonwealth Games champion Rumesh Pathirage emerged victorious with a remarkable throw of 92.07 metres. The other competitors who made the javelin final included Anderson Peters, Keshorn Walcott, Curtis Thompson, and Julius Yego.

Neeraj Chopra expressed his satisfaction with his 88-metre throw, acknowledging that the difference between him and the winner was only nine centimetres. He attributed his strong performance to his focus on technique and his overall journey back into competitive athletics after a nine-month injury layoff.