On the circuit, Neeraj Chopra was successful, but in the championship, he faltered
India’s javelin star Neeraj Chopra, who rose to fame with his gold medal
at the 2020 Olympics, missed a second gold at the 2024 Olympics, settling for silver. Since then, although Chopra has been consistent in his performance, there have been a few occasions when he faltered.
As the year comes to an end, here’s a look at Chopra’s 2025, which yielded mixed results.
Potch Invitational Meet
(Credit- The Bridge)
Neeraj Chopra kicked off the year with a victory, winning the Potch Invitational Meet in South Africa. Many were surprised by his visit, but Chopra threw the javelin a modest 84.52m and grabbed the top spot.
Wanda Diamond League
At the Jehour Doha Meeting, Neeraj Chopra crossed the whopping 90m mark, throwing 90.23m, which created an Indian record. However, Julian Weber in the last round crossed 91.06m, snatching the victory from Chopra, who had to settle for second place.
Janusz Kusocinski Memorial Athletics Meet
(Credit- Sporstar)
In wet conditions at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial meet, Neeraj Chopra struggled to go past 85m, settling with a throw of 84.14m on his final attempt. Once again, his German rival Julian Weber beat him, grabbing the top spot while pushing Chopra to second.
Paris Diamond League 2025
After finishing second on several occasions behind Weber, Chopra finally hit back with a throw of 88.16m. Weber, on the other hand, managed only 87.88m and had to sit in second place.
Ostrava Golden Spike
Neeraj Chopra followed up with another first-place victory at the Ostrava Golden Spike in Czechia. The two-time Olympic medallist won with a throw of 85.29m on his third attempt. With no Weber around, Chopra enjoyed an easy victory.
Neeraj Chopra Classic
(Credit- NDTV)
An event named in Chopra’s honour, the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, was held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. The ace javelin thrower made a throw of 86.18m in the third attempt and won the event by a significant margin. Second on the table was Kenya’s Julius Yego, who managed a throw of only 84.51m.
Diamond League Final
Unfortunately, when it mattered the most, Chopra once again slipped to second. At the Diamond League Final, he finished in second place for the third consecutive time. His German rival Weber produced two 90m plus throws and secured first place.
World Athletics Championships
Chopra’s lowest this year was the World Athletics Championships held in Tokyo, Japan. The defending champion finished in a dismal eighth position with a throw of 84.03m. However, Chopra clarified that he was not at his best due to health reasons, stating, “Two weeks ago I had some back issues, but I didn't want to tell anyone. I was thinking I would still manage to get through it. But javelin is really tough. If you are not in a good shape, you're out.”
The year saw Chopra win on circuits, but unfortunately, pressure and health got to him in the finals. The javelin thrower is currently 27 years old, and by the 2028 Olympics, he will be nearly 30. Therefore, Chopra will have to remain in top physical condition if he is determined to win another medal at the Olympics.
