Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jul 5: Reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra dazzled a packed crowd at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium as he clinched gold at the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, a World Athletics gold-level event, with a best throw of 86.18 metres.

The event marked a major milestone in Indian athletics, not only for its high-level competition but also for being named after the country's iconic javelin thrower. The stadium roared with support from over 14,500 spectators, creating an electrifying atmosphere.

Chopra opened his series with a foul but bounced back with a second throw of 82.99m, taking an early lead. His third attempt of 86.18m proved unbeatable for the rest of the field. He followed up with another foul, then throws of 84.07m and 82.22m to round off the evening.

Kenya’s Julius Yego secured second place with a season-best 84.51m, while Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage came third with 84.34m.

Addressing the crowd, Chopra said,

“Thank you, Bengaluru, for coming tonight. There was a headwind, so the marks weren’t too big. But this was such a unique experience — I had to do many different things apart from just competing. I was a little nervous but happy that my family was here too. We'll try to add more such events in the future.”

Chopra has had a consistent season so far — winning the Potch Invitational Meet in South Africa, finishing second in Doha, where he set a new Indian national record with a throw of 90.23m, and placing first at the Paris Diamond League and the Ostrava Golden Spike, where he registered 88.16m and 85.29m, respectively.

With the Paris 2024 silver medallist showing such form and consistency, expectations are soaring as he prepares for upcoming global championships.