New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra will face a formidable field led by Commonwealth Games champion Rumesh Pathirage of Sri Lanka at the Lausanne Diamond League on August 21, organisers announced on Tuesday.
The meet will feature five javelin throwers who competed at the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, including Chopra, who claimed silver with a season-best effort of 85.83m.
The 28-year-old Indian, competing in only his third event since returning from a lower-back injury, will also take on Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan, reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, former world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada and former Olympic champion Thomas Rohler of Germany.
Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic, Germany’s Julian Weber, Switzerland’s Simon Wieland and American Curtis Thompson will also be in the field. “The five javelin superstars, who have won the last four editions of the Olympic Games and World Championships, will be present at Athletissima for a competition of extraordinary quality,” the organisers said.
Chopra opened his season with a fourth-place finish in Doha before improving to claim Commonwealth Games silver in Glasgow.
“Although we always want the National anthem to play, I did my season’s best and the comeback is going okay,” Chopra had said after the event.
Pathirage heads into the Lausanne meet in outstanding form after winning the Commonwealth Games title with 89.75m. The Sri Lankan also owns the season’s best throw of 92.62m, making him the only athlete to breach the 90-metre mark this year.
