Celebrity Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will compete within the prestigious Paavo Nurmi Video games in Turku, Finland on June 18, the place he shall be up in opposition to 19-year-old sensation Max Dehning of Germany, the most recent entrant within the 90m membership, the organisers mentioned. The 26-year-old Chopra, who will start his season within the Doha Diamond League Assembly on Might 10, had received a silver within the 2022 version of the Paavo Nurmi Video games with a throw of 89.30m — his profession second greatest — whereas he pulled out of the occasion in 2023 as he was recovering from an damage then. Chopra has a private better of 89.94m.
The Paavo Nurmi Video games are named after the legendary Finnish center and lengthy distance runner. It’s a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold collection occasion, one of the crucial prestigious single-day competitions outdoors the Diamond League Assembly collection.
“Javelin throw Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra will return to Turku in June. Chopra will compete within the Paavo Nurmi Video games after a yr’s break and can meet a high-quality group of opponents. The competitors will happen in Turku on June 18,” mentioned Arttu Salonen, who’s liable for athlete procurement at Paavo Nurmi Video games, on the official occasion web site.
“Along with Chopra, we have already got a contract with German Julian Weber and spring’s shock Max Dehning.
“The objective is to throw the hardest javelin competitors of the summer time in Turku earlier than the Paris Olympics. Negotiations with others proceed. Naturally, we wish high home names to cowl Turku, led by Oliver Helander (who received gold in 2022 version with 89.83).” In February, teenager Dehning threw a sensational 90.20m — greater than 11.07m greater than his earlier better of 79.13 — to develop into the youngest javelin thrower to breach the coveted 90m mark on the German Winter Throwing Championships in Halle. He, nevertheless, may produce a throw of 80.30m within the European Throwing Cup in Leiria, Portugal on March 10.
Julian Weber is the reigning European champion, whose longest throw final season was 88.72. He had completed fourth in each the Tokyo Olympics and 2023 Budapest World Championships. He has a private better of 89.54m.
The Paavo Nurmi Video games web site quoted Chopra’s coach Klaus Bartonietz as saying that the Indian javelin celebrity “threw 90.40 in coaching a yr in the past in spring in Turkey on the camp in Belek”.
“90 meters may have already been damaged within the Stockholm document throw (of 89.94m, Chopra’s PB). In Stockholm, Chopra threw 20-30 centimeters from behind the road, so it was a 90-metre throw.
“90 metres is subsequently solely a matter of time. Nevertheless, we are saying that it is only a quantity,” Bartonietz was quoted as having acknowledged on the World Javelin Convention at Kuortane Olympic Coaching Middle in November final yr, in response to the Paavo Nurmi Video games web site.
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