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India’s Olympic champion in the javelin throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj Chopra, and the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion in men’s triple jump, Eldhose Paul, will compete in the Doha Diamond League on Friday.
Only selected athletes, according to their performance, get entry to compete on the prestigious one-day Diamond League circuit.
The Diamond League on Friday will be Chopra’s first competition of the season. It will be interesting to see whether he is able to break the 90m barrier. Chopra’s personal best is 89.94m.
“It feels great to go up against the best athletes from across the globe. Preparations have gone well. Hopefully, we will come away with the desired result,” Chopra had said.
Like Chopra, the majority of the throwers competing in Doha are yet to start their season. However, Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch, winner of the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, is the world leader this season as he recently recorded a throw of 88.38m in South Africa.
World champion Anderson Peters from Grenada will also compete in Doha. Kenya’s Julius Yego and Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago are two other prominent athletes in the fray.
Big opportunity for Eldhose Paul to shine at Doha Diamond League
The field in the men’s triple jump is also strong. Reigning Olympic and world champion Pedro Pichardo of Portugal and Italy’s Emmanuel Ihemeje, the world leader this season, are among 11 athletes in the triple jump event. At least two have crossed the 18m mark, including Pichardo.
“Doha Diamond League will be a good experience as I will be competing against the best in the business,” 2022 Commonwealth Games triple jump champion Paul told Sportskeeda over the phone from Doha.
The Doha Diamond League will be Paul’s first major competition of the 2023 season. Earlier, he competed during the Indian Grand Prix meet but wasn’t impressive. Paul’s season best is 16.61m, while his personal best is 16.99m.
The Indian Navy’s international athlete triple jump didn’t reveal his goal to achieve on Friday, but said his practice was on the expected line.
“I am fit and there is no issue of injury,” he explained.
