Youtube Man Julius Yego on collision course with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra

ATHLETICS Youtube Man Julius Yego on collision course with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra

Abigael Wafula 08:30 - 28.04.2023

Yego hopes to regain best form ahead of the World Championships later this year.

Former world (2015) and Commonwealth Games (2014) champion Julius Yego will take on a stellar cast spear throwers that includes reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra as he looks to open his season at the Wanda Diamond League meeting on May 5 in Doha, Qatar.

Yego has not been in his best form since he was battling a groin injury but he will be keen to announce his come back as he faces off against other strong men.

Last year, he had a mixed season that saw him bow out of the World Championships in Oregon in the preliminary round where he could only manage to throw 79.60m. However, he made amends ahead of the Commonwealth Games which were just days away and managed to seal the podium after throwing 85.70.

Yego is one of Africa’s most successful javelin throwers and he will be up against, Chopra who has also made a name for himself in the Indian community. He is an inspirational figure and has blazed a trail for Indian athletes throughout his career to date.

Chopra was the first Indian track and field athlete to set a world record (under-20) when he threw 86.48m to win the 2016 World U20 Championships, which was also the first time an Indian athlete had won a global track and field title.

He won javelin gold at the 2018 Asian Games, the first Indian athlete to do so, and made history in Tokyo when he became the country’s first Olympic gold medallist in track and field.

The former Commonwealth Games champion (2018) was last year crowned 2022 Wanda Diamond League champion.

Grenada’s two-time world champion Anderson Peters (93.07m) will be returning for the 2023 edition of the Doha Meeting, alongside Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch. The world javelin bronze medallist also recorded a PB in Doha 2022 with his first ever throw over 90m (90.88m).

The Doha Meeting will also welcome European champion Julian Weber (GER), the Olympic and world fourth-place finisher with a best of 89.54m, former Olympic champion and Trinidad & Tobago national record holder Keshorn Walcott (90.16m).

The 2023 Wanda Diamond League comprises 14 meetings in total, starting with Doha at the Qatar Sports Club and concluding with a single final across two days in Eugene (September 16-17).

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