Doha Diamond League: Will Neeraj Chopra start new season with a blast again?

Neeraj Chopra is competing for the first time in 2023 and probably for the first time in his career, the Olympic Champion will start the season with a tournament as big as Doha Diamond League. And the athlete has a reputation to keep at the Qatar prize money event!

Over the past three seasons, Neeraj Chopra has made it a habit of starting the year with a blast. Potchefstroom in January 2020 (87.86 metre), Patiala in March 2021 (88.07m), Turku in June 2022 (89.30m), the reigning Diamond League champion's big throws have arrived right at the start of the season.

Photo Credit: Neeraj Chopra/Twitter

Notably, the throw in Potchefstroom sealed his Tokyo Olympic berth following a return from a long elbow injury lay-off while the 2021's Patiala show was his best for the season -- better than his Olympic gold medal-winning throw of 87.58m in Tokyo later that year. And last year's 89.30m was his second-best performance of the season.

His biggest throw last season came a fortnight later at the Stockholm Diamond League at 89.94m, which is also his personal best. Neeraj also hurled the javelin 89.08m at the Laussane Diamond League later that year to book his Diamond League Finals spot. The 25-year-old athlete subsequently won his maiden Diamond League title with a throw of 88.44m in Zurich.

The success came after Neeraj ended India's 19-year-old medal drought at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon with a silver medal. The expectation again this season will be high to become the first Indian to breach the 90m mark, especially when the competition has been steep.

Anderson Peters became his arch-nemesis last season as the Grenadian pipped him twice at major events, including the World Championships, while German giant Johannes Vetter missed most of 2022 with a shoulder injury.

Neeraj Chopra's rivals watch in Doha Diamond League

While Vetter is missing from the season's first Diamond League as well, Peters has entered his name for Doha event, which starts at 10:14 PM IST on Friday (May 5). The Grenadian, who missed the Diamond League showdown last year following an accident back home, has already competed in three local events in 2023 with a season-best of 81.27m so far.

However, a top-level athlete like Anderson Peters is known for peaking at the right time. And with prize money as big as $10,000 (Rs 8.17 lakh approx.), one can expect Peters to aim for a throw above 90m.

Among other rivals in Doha, Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch has already set the standard for the season with a world-leading throw of 88.38m back in April while Germany's reigning European Champion Julian Webber, who is yet to compete this season, will lay a claim for the top spot as well.

2012 London Olympic Champion Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago), Kenya veteran and former World Champion Julius Yego and Finland's Oliver Helander are also vying for the top prize in the Gulf nation.

Doha Diamond League will start at 8:34 PM IST (6:04 PM local time) with the javelin throw taking place at 10:14 PM IST. Before that, triple jumper and reigning Commonwealth Games champion Eldhose Paul will be making his debut in the Diamond League at 9:02 PM IST. Click here for further Live Streaming details.