Neeraj Chopra's Repeat Second-Place Finish at Diamond League Final

 Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra ended his 2024 season with a second place finish at the Diamond League final, mirroring his result in the 2023 season. After winning the trophy in 2022, he has been unable to reclaim it, despite continuously delivering high performance. 

Among his second place finishes this season - at the Paris Olympics, the Doha Diamond League, Lausanne Diamond League - none were as close as the Diamond League final. His best throw of 87.86m was just 0.01m short of Grenada's Anderson Peters' winning throw.

Peters set the benchmark with his first throw, one that remained unbeaten throughout the night. Neeraj, dealing with a lingering groin injury from before the Paris Olympic Games, couldn't surpass it. Frustration was written on his face as he remained behind Peters.

As a champion, these second place finishes are disappointing for him. It shows his dedication and talent as an athlete consistently performing at a level that no other Indian has achieved before. 

Looking forward, he will aim to defend his World Championship title in 2025. However, this won't be easy. He has mentioned undergoing a major surgery for his groin injury, which will require an extensive recovery period. The first half of next year is likely to be spent in rest and recovery.

The only other Indian at the Diamond League Final, Avinash Sable, finished ninth in the 3000m steeplechase.