Tokyo: Even before the Tokyo Olympics started, German javelin star Johannes Vetter has already sent out a warning stating Neeraj Chopra won’t be able to beat him at the Games starting July 23. The qualification round of men’s javelin throw will be held on August 4 at the Olympic Stadium while the final will be on August 7.
With consistent 90m-plus throws and a former world champion, Vetter is the favourite to win gold in the men’s event. However, the Haryana youngster is touted as India’s best bet to win a medal in athletics.
“He (Chopra) threw good throws twice this year. Above 86m in Finland. If he is healthy and if he is in the right shape, especially in his technique, he can throw far,” Vetter told reporters in an interaction with select international media organised by World Athletics.
Seven successive competitions over 90 metres and counting! ✨
Johannes Vetter is your men's Athlete of the Month for June 2021! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mn0mC2LuHV
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 5, 2021
“But he has to fight with me. I am looking to throw over 90m in Tokyo, so it will be tough for him to beat me.” Neeraj’s first meeting with Vetter came in 2018 at Offenburg in Germany when both trained in the same facility.
Three years later, the duo met once again at the Kuortane Games in Finland last month with Vetter (93.59m) clinching gold and Neeraj (86.79m) bronze. They even travelled together in the same car from Helsinki.
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) July 4, 2021
“Neeraj is a really friendly person. We shared a car for four hours from Helsinki to Kuortane and we spoke a lot about javelin, family and other things,” Vetter replied to a PTI query.
Vetter is in red-hot form this year throwing above 90m in seven consecutive competitions between April and June. Vetter also threw 97.76m in Silesia last year just 72cm shy of the world record of 98.48m set by Czech legend Jan Zelezny.
