Sports Desk, 14 May: Tokyo Olympic Gold Medalist Neeraj Chopra will compete on June 4 at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in the Netherlands. The Fanny Blankers-Koen Stadium in Hengelo, Netherlands hosts the annual Dutch athletics competition known as the FBK Games. The one-day competition is a part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series which is for top athletes.
FBK Games will be Neeraj Chopra’s second competition of 2023 after the Doha Diamond League. With a record-breaking throw of 88.67 metres, Chopra won the Diamond League meeting series’ Doha leg on May 5.
The gold medalist from the Tokyo Olympics made history by being the first Indian to win the Diamond League Final in Zurich the previous year. Fanny Blankers-Koen, who won four gold medals at the 1948 Olympic Games in London is the inspiration behind the name of the FBK Games.
There will be a total of 15 events at the FBK Games including 8 for men and 7 for women. Men will compete in the 100-meter, 400-meter, 1500-meter, 110-meter, 400-meter hurdles, pole vault, long jump and javelin throw events. Women will compete in the 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter, 1500-meter, 100-meter hurdles, high jump and shot put events.
Along with Neeraj Chopra, the holder of the men’s pole vault world record, Armand Duplantis of Sweden is anticipated to compete at the Hengelo competition.