IMAGE: Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra will kick off his season at the Doha Diamond League scheduled for May 16 in the Qatari capital. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters
Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will have the company of three other compatriots in the Doha leg of the prestigious Diamond League Meeting on May 16 as the country will have maximum representation ever in a DL event.
Chopra, who won the title here in 2023 (88.67m) and finished second in 2024 (88.36m), will be joined by Kishore Jena in the men's javelin throw event. Jena took part in 2024 also and had finished ninth with a throw of 76.31m.
The star-studded field in the men's javelin throw will have the likes of two-time world champion and Paris Olympics bronze winner Anderson Peters of Grenada, 2024 winner Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic, Julian Weber and Max Dehning of Germany, Julius Yego of Kenya and Roderick Genki Dean of Japan.
The other two Indians in the fray are national record holder Gulveer Singh, who is making his Diamond League debut, in men's 5000m, and Parul Chaudhary in the women's 3000m steeplechase.
Chaudhary is the national record holder in the women's 3000m steeplechase.
The Doha Diamond League is an annual one-day track and field meeting held at the Suheim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar. It is part of the Diamond League – the top level international circuit for the sport.