Turku [Finland]June 13 (ANI): Tokyo Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra is ready for his long-awaited return to competitive play at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2022, which will be held here at the Paavo Nurmi Stadium in Turku, Finland on Tuesday.
The Indian javelin superstar has not competed since he won his historic gold medal in Tokyo 2020. However, the 24-year-old’s return to the field will be nothing more than a baptism of fire.
Paavo Nurmi Games, a gold event in the World Athletics Continental Tour, is one of the largest athletics competitions outside the Diamond League and this year’s event has a super stacked field.
In addition to Neeraj Chopra, reigning world champion Anderson Peters from Grenada, silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic in Tokyo 2020 and Olympic gold medalist in London 2012 Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago will take part in the javelin throw competition for 10 athletes for men in Turku.
The German ace Johannes Vetter, Chopra’s arch-rival, was originally to compete in Turku but has withdrawn. However, his compatriots Julian Weber and Andreas Hofmann are on the registration list.
Without competitive action for almost 10 months, Neeraj Chopra will get his job away for him against a star-studded field, most of whom have been in full-fledged competitive position.
Both Peters and Vadlejch have broken the 90m mark this season in the Doha Diamond League. Peter’s gold medal winning throw of 93.07 meters in Doha is the best of the season 2022.
Chopra, the only Indian to compete in the Paavo Nurmi Games, will try to recover in shape ahead of next month’s World Athletics Championships and the Commonwealth Games.
After Turku, Neeraj Chopra will compete at the Kuortane Games in Finland before heading to Sweden for the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League. (ANI)
Source: sn.dk