Neeraj Chopra Diamond League Final: National record holder Avinash Sable finished ninth with a below-average performance in the Diamond League Final. Competing in the 3000m steeplechase in Brussels on Friday, 30-year-old Sable clocked in 8 minutes and 17.09 seconds to secure ninth place among 10 athletes in his debut Diamond League Final.
Meanwhile, hopes are pinned on India's world champion and Paris Olympics silver medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who will be in action late Saturday night. Neeraj's target will be to throw the javelin beyond 90 meters, an achievement he has yet to accomplish.
Source: aajtak
Kenya's Amos Serem Crowned Champion
In the 3000-meter steeplechase, Kenya's Amos Serem became Diamond League champion with a time of 8:06.90, while the reigning Olympic and world champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco (8:08.60) finished second at the end of the season. Tunisia’s Mohamed Amine Jhinaoui secured third place with 8:09.68.
Avinash Sable secured 11th place at the Paris Olympic Games with a time of 8:14.18. He ranked 14th in the overall Diamond League standings, having earned three points from two events. However, four higher-ranked athletes - Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma (injured), New Zealand's Geordie Beamish, Japan's Ryuji Miura, and USA's Hillary Bor - did not compete, allowing Sable to make the top 10 cut-off.
Asian Games champion Sable had previously achieved a national record time of 8:09.91 to place sixth in the Paris leg of the Diamond League on July 7, and he improved his personal best. On August 25 in the Silesia leg, he finished 14th with a time of 8:29.96.
Can Neeraj Break the 90-Meter Barrier?
Neeraj Chopra's personal best throw of 89.94 meters, accomplished at the Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden on June 30, 2022, stands as India's male national record for javelin throw. However, he has never surpassed 90 meters, presenting a significant challenge and goal for him.
When is Neeraj Chopra’s Next Diamond League Match?
After the Paris Olympics 2024, India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra achieved a season's best throw of 89.49 meters in the Lausanne Diamond League 2024, placing second. On August 8, he won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics with an 89.45-meter throw. Neeraj’s Diamond League Final event will start at 1:52 AM IST on Saturday late night. His contest will take place in Brussels, Belgium, at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme, which can be watched on Sports 18 Network in India.
What Do Diamond League Final Winners Receive?
Every final champion of the Diamond League season is awarded the 'Diamond Trophy', a prize of 30,000 US dollars, and a wild card entry to the World Athletics Championships. Notably, there are no medal awards in the Diamond League.
