India’s javelin star Neeraj Chopra has built his reputation on consistency, rarely worrying about distance as long as he makes the podium. But with the world championships set to begin in Tokyo this month, the defending champion admits he may need more than steady high-80 metre throws if he wants another gold medal around his neck.
Chopra, who became India’s first Olympic champion in track and field with his Tokyo triumph four years ago, has since added a Diamond League trophy, a world title, and silver at the 2024 Paris Games. Last year, he enlisted three-time Olympic champion Jan Zelezny as his coach to help him unlock new distances. The partnership seemed promising when he hit a personal best of 90.23 metres in Doha earlier this season.
But since then, the 27-year-old has been unable to replicate that performance. At the Diamond League Final in Zurich last week, he managed just 85.01 metres—well behind German rival Julian Weber, who unleashed a 91.51-metre throw. Though Chopra’s consistency has kept him in the top two for 26 consecutive competitions, he acknowledged after Zurich that it likely won’t be enough in Tokyo.
“This was not too bad, but we are getting very close to the world championships, so I still need to throw a little bit further,” Chopra said. “There were a few things that went well, but still, there were the things which did not go that well. In this sport, we do not know. It depends on the day. In Tokyo, everything will be different.”
Weber has set the bar with multiple 90-metre-plus throws, while Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva also joined the elite group earlier this season. Chopra, who insists he values medals more than distances, says friendly rivalry keeps him motivated. “Julian, he is a good friend of mine and I am always happy when he is doing well and we push each other,” he said. “At major championships, the gold is more important than the far throws. So I will try my best to win the medal.”