Despite fracture, gritty Neeraj seals 2nd spot in Brussels
Double Olympic medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Sunday revealed he took part in the Diamond League season finale despite a fracture in his non-throwing left hand, which he sustained during a training session.
On Saturday, Chopra came agonisingly close to winning the Diamond League crown before missing it by 1 cm to finish as runner-up for the second consecutive year with a throw of 87.86m.
“On Monday, I injured myself in practice and X-rays showed that I had fractured the fourth metacarpal of my left hand. It was another painful challenge for me. But with the help of my team, I was able to participate in Brussels,” the 26-year-old said on his social media handle.
Metacarpals, also known as palm bones, are the bones that lie between the fingers and the wrist in a human hand. There are five metacarpals in each hand, with each bone being associated with a specific finger.
Chopra, who throws with his right hand, was beaten for the gold by two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, who sent his spear to 87.87m in his first attempt. This was Chopra’s second consecutive Diamond League runner-up finish after winning the crown in 2022.
He normally falls down with his left palm touching the ground in the follow through after releasing the spear. On Saturday, in all his six attempts, Chopra avoided falling down and touching the ground with his left palm.
He had been struggling with his fitness this year and is expected to meet a doctor soon to rectify a groin injury that has affected him all season and came in the way of his quest to hit the elusive 90m mark. Chopra, who added a silver to his Olympic medal tally in Paris, thus ended his season on a high.
Misses crown by 1 cm
- Chopra sustained a fracture in his left hand during practice for Diamond League final in Brussels
- Though he throws spear with his right hand, Chopra falls down with his left palm touching the ground after releasing the spear
- He missed the first spot by 1 cm to finish as runner-up for the second consecutive year with a throw of 87.86m
