Daijiworld Media Network - Paris
Paris, Jun 21: India's Olympic and World Champion javelin star Neeraj Chopra clinched his first Diamond League title in two years, securing a stellar win at the Paris leg of the elite athletics series late Friday night with a top throw of 88.16 metres in the very first round.
The 27-year-old from Haryana, who is hosting his own meet the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru next month, edged past his fierce German rival Julian Weber, who managed 87.88m with his opening attempt. Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva took third place with 86.62m in the third round.
Chopra, who has Olympic gold and silver to his name, said he was pleased with the result despite not touching the elusive 90m mark. “I am happy with my throw. My run-up was really fast today. I can't control my speed, but I'm happy with the result and with the first position,” he told broadcasters after the event.
This victory marks Chopra’s first Diamond League title since Lausanne 2023, where he won with 87.66m. Since then, he had finished second in six Diamond League appearances. It was also his first triumph in Paris, a city where he last competed in 2017 as a junior world champion, finishing fifth with 84.67m.
Chopra fouled his third, fourth, and fifth attempts after a second throw of 85.10m. He closed with 82.89m on his final attempt. The event featured a star-studded field including five members of the exclusive 90m club — a benchmark Chopra broke earlier this season in Doha with a throw of 90.23m, finishing second to Weber, who threw 91.06m.
The Paris leg saw Trinidad and Tobago’s 2012 Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott (81.66m) finish fourth, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters (80.29m) and Kenya’s 2015 world champion Julius Yego (80.26m) secured fifth and sixth places respectively.
Reflecting on the season ahead, Chopra said, “I will compete in Ostrava after four days on June 24. So I need some recovery. I’m hoping for more 90 metre throws because I broke that barrier in Doha. Now I believe I can do it again… but it depends on the weather and how my body feels.”
Neeraj began his 2025 campaign with a win at an invitational meet in Potchefstroom, South Africa (Category F) with a throw of 84.52m.
He is now gearing up to host the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on July 5 — a prestigious World Athletics Category A event — ahead of the Paris Olympics, where he will aim to defend his Olympic title.