New Delhi: Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra delivered his finest throw of the year on Friday, securing second place at the Lausanne Diamond League meeting with a season-best effort of 88.05 metres. The 28-year-old two-time Olympic medallist was narrowly edged out of the top spot by Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage, who clinched the victory by just nine centimetres with a third-round throw of 88.14 metres. Grenada’s Anderson Peters finished third with a final-round mark of 86.69 metres, while world champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago took fourth at 83.71 metres.
Chopra, who is steadily building momentum after recovering from a nagging lower back injury, opened the competition with an 83.54-metre throw before unleashing his 88.05-metre effort in the second round to briefly seize the lead. Pathirage, continuing his dominant season across the international circuit, responded immediately in the third round to retake the advantage. Chopra followed with an 83.72-metre throw, fouled his fourth attempt, chose to pass on his fifth round to manage his physical workload ahead of upcoming competitions, and closed with 82.15 metres.
The second-place finish propelled Chopra into the top five of the Diamond League Finals qualifying standings, improving from his previous seventh-place position. The top six throwers across the season will earn spots for the Diamond League Finals scheduled for September 4–5 in Brussels, with one remaining qualification event set for Zurich on August 27. Pathirage and Peters have already confirmed their places in the season finale.
Reflecting on the close finish, Chopra expressed satisfaction with crossing the 88-metre threshold and noted steady progress in his technical rhythm and physical condition. The performance marked another compelling chapter in the regional rivalry with Pathirage, who has won eight of his nine international outings this season, as both athletes continue their campaigns toward the upcoming Asian Games.
