Neeraj Chopra wins in Ostrava despite challenge from unheralded South African

Neeraj won the event with a best mark of 85.29m that came in the third round. The second place went to South Africa’s Douw Smit with a new Personal Best of 84.12m while two-time World Champion Anderson Peters took the third place with 83.63m.

After his Paris DL win, Neeraj spoke of a quick recovery with just over three days left for the Ostrava event, which he has had to miss in recent seasons. But perhaps the presence of Zelezny as his coach now meant there was a special place in the calendar for Neeraj, who typically hasn’t competed with such turnaround time in recent seasons. And with his own pet project – the NC Classic men’s javelin invitational – coming up next weekend in Bengaluru, Neeraj would have had good reason to not go all out.

He was asked some questions in Ostrava, first by an expected source in Peters and then by an unexpected one from South Africa’s Smit. Peters started the event with the 83.63m, laying down the early marker. But Smit – a relative outsider at this level of men’s javelin – came with a new PB of 84.12m that gave him the lead after two attempts. But as he often does, Neeraj did find an answer. With his third attempt, the Indian registered the only 85m+ throw of the night with 85.29m. But for the second successive event, he didn’t seem all that pleased with his throws. After a couple of attempts, he had a quick debrief with Zelezny standing beside him, evidently discussing the release of the javelin.

It is an area Neeraj said, after Paris, that he is working with the Czech great, trying to attain more control at the final step and using his chest more to release without falling over to the left. In fact, after his final throw, where he actually had a stumble and ended up intentionally fouling beyond the white line, he shook his head a fair few times. But eventually, as he headed to the seating area where his fellow athletes were waiting, the smiles were back. It is after all another meeting win and one that extends his long streak of finishing in the top-two of every event he has competed in since June 2021.

Neeraj’s focus will now turn to the NC Classic. Much like Zelezny’s association with the Ostrava Golden Spike now, that event will mean a whole lot more than just one where he is competing.

Gout Gout shines

The hype has been steadily building from Down Under around this incredibly talented teenage sprinter, and on his European professional debut, Gout Gout justified some of it. Trailing in the 200m race behind Reynier Mena of Cuba, he came up with a finishing kick that has already become the most noticeable trait of his sprinting style – a ridiculous ease with which he increases his speed after getting into his stride. The result was a stunning 20.02s from the clock for the teenager, a new Personal Best and an Area Record for Australia as well. And at 17, he is knocking on the door of a sub-20s timing. “Feel pretty good, first European race. Indeed the sub-20 is very, very close,” he said after the race, barely unable to hide his joy. The hype appears to be very real indeed.