New Delhi [India], September 15 (ANI): Neeraj Chopra, the celebrated Paris Olympics silver medallist, has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his supporters for their unwavering encouragement throughout his arduous 2024 campaign.

On Sunday, at the prestigious Diamond League final held at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, Chopra narrowly missed clinching another title by a mere 1 centimetre. His best throw of 87.86 metres secured him a commendable second place in the competition.

Taking to his official social media platform on Monday, the two-time Olympic medallist shared his reflections on the year’s journey, highlighting the lessons learned and challenges faced.

“As the 2024 season comes to a close, I reflect on all that I’ve learned—about improvement, setbacks, mentality, and much more. On Monday, during practice, I unfortunately injured myself, and subsequent X-rays revealed a fracture in the fourth metacarpal of my left hand. This was yet another painful hurdle. However, thanks to the unwavering support of my team, I was able to compete in Brussels,” Chopra posted on X.

“This final competition of the year was significant for me, and I wanted to conclude my season on the track. Although I fell short of my own expectations, I believe this season has been one of immense learning. I am now more determined than ever to return stronger, fully fit, and ready for 2025. Thank you all for your support. The year 2024 has made me a better athlete and person. See you in 2025. Jai Hind,” he added.

During the Diamond League final, Chopra began with a powerful throw of 86.82m, positioning him in second place behind Peters, whose winning throw came in the very first round. Julian Weber also achieved his best on his initial attempt. Chopra’s subsequent throws included distances of 83.49m and came remarkably close to overtaking Peters on his third attempt, missing by just 1 centimetre. His following throws measured 82.04m, 83.30m, and 86.46m.

This event marked Chopra’s fifth appearance in a Diamond League final. He previously finished seventh in 2017 and fourth in 2018 before triumphing with the Diamond League crown in 2022 with an impressive throw of 88.44m. Last year, he finished second behind Jakub Vadlejch with a throw of 83.80m.

The 26-year-old athlete accumulated 14 points across two Diamond League meets this season to qualify for the final showdown. He finished second in both the Doha leg in May and the Lausanne event last month, securing fourth place on the overall points table. Seven athletes competed in the men’s javelin throw final.

Chopra set a national record with a throw of 89.94m at the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League in 2022 and recorded his career’s second-best throw of 89.49m at the Lausanne meet last month. His silver-winning throw at the Paris Olympics measured an impressive 89.45m, further solidifying his status as one of the premier javelin throwers in the world. (ANI)