Chopra Secures Ostrava Golden Spike Victory, Expresses Disappointment with Throw Distance

Chopra Claims Ostrava Golden Spike Title, Remains Unsatisfied with Throw

Neeraj Chopra clinched the Golden Spike title at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event on Tuesday, achieving a winning throw of 85.29m. Despite securing the victory in his debut appearance at the meet, Chopra expressed his dissatisfaction with his overall performance.

The former Olympic champion dominated the field of nine athletes, securing the win with his third-round throw. His initial attempt resulted in a foul, followed by a throw of 83.45m in the second round.

"I am not that happy with my performance today, but I am very happy with the trophy I won," Chopra stated. "I used to watch this meeting a lot as a kid. I watched people like Jan Zelezny and Usain Bolt winning the Golden Spike and I dreamt of winning one as well. Now the dream has come true," the two-time Olympic medallist added, according to PTI.

His subsequent throws registered 82.17m and 81.01m, with another foul in the final round. "I know the javelin throw is very popular in Czechia. The amount of support we were getting from the crowd was crazy. I just wish I could have performed better for them," Chopra commented. He had previously surpassed the 90m mark when he finished second at the Doha Diamond League in May.

The 27-year-old athlete has displayed consistent form throughout the season, most recently winning a Diamond League event in Paris prior to the Golden Spike meet. Chopra is scheduled to compete next at the NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, where he will face competitors such as Anderson Peters and Thomas Rohler.

Despite falling short of his personal expectations, especially in front of a large audience, Chopra's effort was sufficient to secure the prestigious Golden Spike title.

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