Neeraj Chopra to skip Brussels Diamond League - here's why

Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra, who has qualified for the Diamond League Finals, will not participate in the last leg of the series in Brussels, Belgium on Friday. The reigning world champion has secured his spot in the Zurich finals scheduled for August 28, despite competing in only two of the four Diamond League meetings featuring men's javelin throw this season.Chopra achieved a remarkable throw of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League in May, finishing second behind German Julian Weber. He followed this with a victory at the Paris Diamond League in June, recording a throw of 88.16m.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The 27-year-old athlete's most recent competition was at the NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, where he secured victory with a throw of 86.18m. His season record stands at four wins and two second-place finishes across six events.The top six athletes after the Brussels leg will advance to the Diamond League Finals in Zurich. Chopra is set to defend his title at the World Championships in Tokyo from September 13-21.The Diamond League, an elite one-day meeting series in global athletics, features 14 series meetings where athletes compete for points to qualify for the two-day final in Zurich on August 27 and 28.The Diamond League Final follows a winner-takes-all format, with champions in each of the 32 events receiving the Diamond Trophy and a wild card entry to the World Athletics Championships.The men's javelin event will take place on August 28. Winners receive a trophy and $30,000, with second and third place finishers earning $12,000 and $7,000 respectively.This year features enhanced prize money for eight specific events: men's 100m, 1500m, 400m hurdles, and pole vault, along with women's 100m, 100m hurdles, 3000m, and long jump. Winners in these categories will receive $50,000, while second and third place finishers will earn $20,000 and $10,000, respectively.