Confirmed: Neeraj Chopra To Compete At Paavo Nurmi Games In Finland On June 18

India's javelin throw spearhead Neeraj Chopra will be competing in the high-profile Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland on June 18, 2024, the event's organizers have confirmed. Chopra will face off against Germany's 19-year-old rising star Max Dehning, who is the latest entrant in the 90 metres club. (More Athletics News)

The Olympic and world champion Chopra will commence his season with the Doha Diamond League meet on May 10. He had bagged a silver medal in the 2022 edition of the Paavo Nurmi Games with a best throw of 89.30m -- the second-highest effort in his career so far. The 26-year-old had withdrawn from the event in 2023 as he was recuperating from an injury then. The golden man of Indian athletics has a personal best of 89.94m.

"Javelin throw Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra will return to Turku in June. Chopra will compete in the Paavo Nurmi Games after a year's break and will meet a high-quality group of competitors. The competition will take place in Turku on June 18," said Arttu Salonen, head of athlete procurement at the Paavo Nurmi Games.

"In addition to Chopra, we already have a contract with German Julian Weber and spring's surprise Max Dehning. The goal is to throw the toughest javelin competition of the summer in Turku before the Paris Olympics. Negotiations with others continue. Naturally, we want top domestic names to cover Turku, led by Oliver Helander (who won gold in 2022 edition with 89.83)," Salonen added on the Games' official website.

In February 2024, teenager Dehning had thrown 90.20m to become the youngest javelin thrower to breach the 90m mark at the German Winter Throwing Championships in Halle.

Weber is the reigning European champion, with a longest throw last season of 88.72. He had ended fourth in both the Tokyo Olympics and 2023 Budapest World Championships, and has a personal best of 89.54m.

Chopra's coach Klaus Bartonietz was quoted as saying on the Paavo Nurmi Games website that the decorated athlete "threw 90.40 in training a year ago" in spring in Turkey at the camp in Belek.

"90 meters could have already been broken in the Stockholm record throw (of 89.94m, Chopra's PB). In Stockholm, Chopra threw 20-30 centimeters from behind the line, so it was a 90-metre throw.

"90 metres is therefore only a matter of time. However, we say that it's just a number," Bartonietz was quoted as having said at the World Javelin Conference at Kuortane Olympic Training Center in November 2023, as per the Paavo Nurmi Games website.

The Paavo Nurmi Games are named after the acclaimed Finnish middle and long distance runner. It is a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series event, one of the most prestigious single-day competitions besides the Diamond League Meeting series.

(With PTI inputs)