The javelin\u2019s 90-metre club gained two new members at the Jehour Doha Meeting with Neeraj Chopra throwing an Indian record of 90.23m before Julian Weber snatched victory with a last-round throw of 91.06m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting on Friday (16).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both men had thrown beyond 89 metres on several occasions in recent years, with their PBs \u2013 89.94m for Chopra and 89.54m for Weber \u2013 dating back to 2022. Tonight in the Qatari capital, though, they finally bettered the hallowed barrier, becoming the 25th and 26th men to throw beyond 90 metres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chopra, the world champion, opened with 88.44m to take an early lead, while Weber started with a more conservative 83.82m. Chropa then produced his PB throw in round three, breaking his own Indian record with 90.23m, then Weber responded with 89.06m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chopra didn\u2019t improve on his third effort and closed out his series with a solid 88.20m, but Weber finished with a flourish, throwing 89.84m in round five then a world-leading 91.06m to take victory in the final round. Two-time world champion Anderson Peters was third with 85.64m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was just the seventh time in history that two men have thrown beyond 90 metres in the same javelin competition. Weber now moves to 17th on the world all-time list while Chopra sits at 24th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I don’t know how that happened,” said Weber, the 2022 European champion. “The previous weeks weren’t that good for me, but today I just felt great. It also was the winning throw in the last round, so it came out really perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The conditions here in Doha with the backwind is great for us javelin throwers. If you make the right adjustments and throw a little higher, it just flies great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I was really happy for Neeraj because he had been fighting for that 90-metre throw for some time and it was really special to achieve it tonight.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n