Neeraj Chopra becomes first Indian to win a Diamond League meet

Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra became the first ever Indian to win a Diamond League event as he returned from injury at the Lausanne meet on Friday night.

Neeraj threw 89.08m in his first attempt at Lausanne Diamond League to win the meet and secure qualification for both the Diamond League finals later this year and the World Athletics Championships in 2023.

"I was fit but wanted to be cautious due to the injury. Missing the Commonwealth Games was tough and I want to get back to 100%. Right now, I'm not there yet, so I decided to tread carefully. Didn't want to strain my body," he told The Bridge after his win.

READ | Neeraj Chopra explains missed attempts during Diamond League win

Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch finished behind Neeraj with a throw of 85.88m and also qualified for the Diamond League finals.

Neeraj was the favourite in absence of World Champion Anderson Peters and Commonwealth champion Arshad Nadeem.

Neeraj had to miss the Commonwealth Games 2022 owing to a minor injury he sustained during the World Athletics Championships in Eugene.

Neeraj started well with an 89.08m throw and recorded 85.18m on his second throw. With podium and qualifications secured, Neeraj attempted only two more throws with one of them being foul and the other one being 80.04m.

Diamond League grand finale which is scheduled from 7-8 September 2022 in Zurich will feature World Champion Anderson Peters, Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra, Olympic runner-up Jakub Vadlejch, Julian Weber, Curtis Thompson and Patriks Gailums in the javelin throw event.

Before Neeraj Chopra, discus thrower Vikas Gowda was the only Indian to have finished in the top three in a Diamond League meeting. Gowda had finished second twice -- in New York in 2012 and in Doha in 2014 -- and third on two occasions -- Shanghai and Eugene in 2015.