Neeraj Chopra to Compete in Ostrava Golden Spike Athletics Meet

Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic and World Championships gold medalist, is set to compete in his third competition of the season at the Ostrava Golden Spike athletics meet in Czechia on May 28. This World Athletics Continental Tour Gold label event marks the 63rd edition of the prestigious competition.

Chopra's season began with a second-place finish at the Doha Diamond League on May 11, where he threw 88.36 meters, just shy of the winner, Jakub Vadlejch. Despite battling fatigue at the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar, Chopra secured a gold medal with a throw of 82.27 meters.

At Ostrava, Chopra will face a formidable lineup in the men's javelin throw, including Vadlejch, the home favorite, and Anderson Peters of Grenada, a former World Champion. Peters finished third behind Vadlejch and Chopra in Doha.

Chopra was scheduled to compete in Ostrava last year but withdrew due to a muscle injury. Vadlejch won the title with a throw of 81.93 meters.

In addition to Chopra, Vadlejch, and Peters, the Ostrava meet will feature other global stars such as Marcell Jacobs of Italy, the reigning Olympic 100m champion, Gianmarco Tamberi, the Olympic co-champion in men's high jump, and Mondo Duplantis of Sweden, the world record holder and Olympic gold medalist in pole vault.

After Ostrava, Chopra is expected to remain in Europe for the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, on June 18. This Continental Tour Gold event is a top-tier World Athletics competition. In 2022, Chopra won a silver medal at the Paavo Nurmi Games with a throw of 89.30 meters, his personal best at the time. He later broke his own record with a throw of 89.94 meters at the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League, which remains his national record.

Chopra's participation in these competitions is part of his preparation for the Paris Olympics 2024, scheduled for July 26 to August 11.

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