Neeraj Chopra to compete at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on the road to Paris 2024

Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Neeraj Chopra will compete at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland on June 18, the organizers confirmed on Wednesday.

Chopra, who begins his road to the Paris Olympics at the Doha Diamond League Meeting on May 10, had won a silver in the 2022 edition of the Paavo Nurmi Games but was forced to withdraw from the 2023 edition as he was recovering from an injury.

“Javelin throw Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra will return to Turku in June. Chopra will compete in the Paavo Nurmi Games after a year’s break and will meet a high-quality group of competitors. The competition will take place in Turku on June 18,” said Arttu Salonen, charged with athlete procurement at the Paavo Nurmi Games on their official event website.

Other than Neeraj, the javelin throw competition will also feature 19-year-old sensation Max Dehning, the German who is latest entrant in the 90m throw club.

“The goal is to throw the toughest javelin competition of the summer in Turku before the Paris Olympics. Negotiations with others continue. Naturally, we want top domestic names to cover Turku, led by Oliver Helander (who won gold in 2022 edition with 89.83),” added Arttu.

90m, not to far

One of the targets that Neeraj has been pipped against, and one that he has been vocal about over the years, is hitting the elusive 90m mark.

“I am very close to it. I want to hit that throw myself. I believe in the process. Whenever it will happen, it will happen. I am not in a hurry. I am happy with my consistent performances, this is my main focus,” Chopra had said last year.

According to his coach Klaus Bartonietz, though, Neeraj had touched the mark a year ago. “(He) threw 90.40 in training a year ago in spring in Turkey at the camp in Belek,” Bartonietz was quoted by the Paavo Nurmi Games official website.

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“90 meters could have already been broken in the Stockholm record throw (of 89.94m, Chopra’s PB). In Stockholm, Chopra threw 20-30 centimeters from behind the line, so it was a 90-metre throw. 90 metres is therefore only a matter of time. However, we say that it’s just a number,” he added.

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