Neeraj Chopra takes second as Julian Weber wins Zurich Diamond

Photo:Reuters

India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, a two-time Olympic medalist, once again showed his fighting spirit but had to settle for the runner-up spot in the Diamond League Finals 2025 held in Zurich on Thursday, August 28. The spotlight, however, shined brightest on Julian Weber of Germany, who put up an extraordinary display with not one, but two massive throws over the 90-meter mark, winning the first Diamond League title of his career.

This was the third straight time Neeraj Chopra finished second in the grand finale of the Diamond League, after doing the same in 2023 and 2024. The Indian champion was chasing the crown he last held in 2022 but could not find his best form this time.

How the Competition Unfolded

The Zurich final featured seven world-class throwers. Neeraj Chopra opened with a solid throw of 84.35 meters, which kept him in the third position for most of the contest. His second and third attempts were not much better, measuring 82m and a foul.

As the tension grew, Chopra fouled his fourth and fifth throws as well. But in his final attempt, he managed to push himself ahead with an 85.01m throw, just enough to climb back into the second position, overtaking Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott, the 2012 London Olympic champion, who ended with 84.95m for third place.

Germany’s Julian Weber, however, was on another level altogether. He opened the competition with a 91.37m throw, followed by a season-best 91.57m in his second attempt. After that, the contest was practically decided. He recorded additional throws of 83.66m, 86.45m, and 88.66m, with only one foul in between. None of his rivals came close.

Neeraj’s Performance and Struggles

For Neeraj, this competition was unusual. Known for his consistent 88m-plus throws, he could only touch 85m in Zurich. Out of his six attempts, only three were legal throws.

Speaking after the event, Chopra admitted he was not fully satisfied but remained positive:

“This was not too bad. But the World Championships are coming soon, and I need to throw a little bit further. Some things went well today, but some did not. Still, I managed to touch 85m in the last attempt. I am very happy for Julian because he threw really far today. For me, the big target is Tokyo.”

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Looking Ahead: World Championships in Tokyo

The next big event on Chopra’s calendar is the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (September 13–21, 2025), where he will defend his crown. Chopra highlighted that major championships are not only about distance but about winning medals, and he is determined to perform at his best.

He added that he will have supporters from India in Tokyo, including friends who live there. With the pressure of defending his world title, Chopra promised to give everything to bring home another medal.

Weber vs Chopra: Rivalry Heats Up

This season, Weber and Chopra have faced each other several times. With the Zurich win, Weber now leads their head-to-head 3–1 in 2025.

* In Doha Diamond League (May 2025) – Weber beat Chopra, even though both crossed the magical 90m mark.

* In Poland (ORLEN Kusocinski Memorial, May 2025) – Weber again finished ahead.

* In Paris Diamond League (June 2025) – Chopra bounced back and took first place.

* In Zurich (August 2025) – Weber once again came out on top.

Despite this, Chopra has a much stronger overall career record, leading Weber 15–5 in competitions since 2016.

Neeraj’s Season So Far

* Chopra had earlier competed in Doha, where he made history with his first-ever 90m throw (90.23m) but still ended second behind Weber.

* He then competed in Paris, where he won with an impressive performance.

* He skipped the Silesia and Brussels Diamond League legs but still qualified for the Zurich Final as one of the top six athletes with 15 points.

* His last event before Zurich was the NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, which he won with a throw of 86.18m.

Other Results

* Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad & Tobago) – 3rd with 84.95m

* Anderson Peters (Grenada) – Defending champion, 4th with 82.06m

* Other athletes in the field could not make a significant impact against Weber’s dominance.

What This Means

This result is a reminder that every competition is different. While Neeraj Chopra remains one of the most consistent and dominant throwers in the world, Julian Weber has clearly emerged as his strongest challenger this season. Their rivalry is expected to continue at the Tokyo World Championships, where Chopra will try to defend his gold, and Weber will aim to prove his 90m throws are no fluke.

For fans, this sets up an exciting showdown in September.