The Neeraj Chopra Classic competition is increasing interest with each passing day, as the competition will be held on May 24. Some of the world’s best athletes in javelin throw will take part in the event. 

The Neeraj Chopra Classic is co-organised by Neeraj Chopra, JSW Sports, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and World Athletics (WA). It is classified as a WA ‘A’ category or Continental Tour Gold-level meet, and will be the highest-tier international athletics event ever hosted in India to date.

Also Read: Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Full Schedule

Neeraj Chopra, the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist and reigning world champion, is expected to headline the meet named in his honour. Several big names in the sport are also set to take part in the event at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.

International contenders of Neeraj Chopra Classic 

Two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Thomas Rohler of Germany, and Kenya’s Julius Yego – the 2015 world champion and Rio 2016 silver medallist – are among the top international contenders in the list. 

The line-up also includes Pan American Games champion Curtis Thompson of the USA who is the current world leader. Japan’s Genki Dean, Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage are the other stars on the list.

However, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic champion, will be missing from the event. While he was invited, he opted out of the competition to focus on the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships in the Republic of Korea.

Indian contenders of Neeraj Chopra Classic

Sachin Yadav, Rohit Yadav, and Sahil Silwal will be the Indian javelin throwers participating in thetournament. Meanwhile, Asian Games silver medallist and Olympian, Kishore Jena became the latest addition to the Indian line-up.

List of Athletes of Neeraj Chopra Classic

• Neeraj Chopra (India)
• Anderson Peters (Grenada)
• Thomas Rohler (Germany)
• Julius Yego (Kenya)
• Curtis Thompson (USA)
• Genki Dean (Japan)
• Luiz Mauricio da Silva (Brazil)
• Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka)
• Sachin Yadav (India)
• Rohit Yadav (India)
• Sahil Silwal (India)
• Kishore Jena (India)

Wherever Neeraj Chopra goes, he does not return empty-handed. This series started in 2016 when this rising star made a record for the first time at the Under-20 World Athletics Championships. From that day itself, we got a glimpse of the future to come, in which many records were to be made and broken one after the other.

On Friday night of 16 May, Neeraj maintained the same trend in Doha Diamond League 2025 and got his name registered in history, becoming the first Indian to breach the 90m mark in the sport. So, it's time we take a look at every Neeraj Chopra records that he has made in his tremendous career so far.

Also Read: Neeraj Chopra’s best throws: Here are all the top throws by javelin ace Neeraj Chopra

Every Neeraj Chopra records you should know

• First Indian to breach the 90m mark: Neeraj Chopra’s best throw is 90.23m, achieved at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025. The mark stands as the men’s national record in India and Neeraj Chopra’s personal best. It was the first time an Indian had breached the 90m-mark in the javelin.
• First Indian to win Olympic medal in athletics: At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Neeraj Chopra produced a historic performance in the men's javelin throw event. Neeraj won the gold medal in the final with a throw of 87.58m, giving India its first Olympic medal in athletics. With this win, Neeraj Chopra also became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in a track and field event at the Olympics.
• First Indian to win silver at World Athletics Championships: Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won a historic silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. He recorded a throw of 88.13m in his fourth attempt to claim the second spot. Chopra thus is the first Indian to win a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships and only the second medallist from the country after Anju Bobby George in 2003.
• First Indian track and field athlete to win world championship: Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. With this win, the then 18-year-old Neeraj became the first Indian track and field athlete to become a world champion in any event and any age level.
• First Indian World Record holder in track & field: Neeraj Chopra Threw 86.48m at the junior championships in Poland to win the title. With this, he set the new under-20 world record, beating the 84.69m mark established by the previous holder, Latvia's Zigismunds Sirmais. Neeraj’s 86.48m attempt at Bydgoszcz still stands as both the U20 world record as well as the U20 Asian record in the javelin throw.
• Indian national javelin throw record holder: Neeraj Chopra’s best attempt to date came at the Stockholm Diamond League 2022 in Sweden on June 30, 2022, where he managed his personal best of 89.94m to establish the new national record.
• First Indian to win javelin throw gold at Asian Games: Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian javelin thrower to win a gold medal at the Asian Games. Before him, Gurtej Singh was the only men’s javelin thrower from the country to win a medal – bronze at the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games. Neeraj threw  88.06m to claim the 2018 Asian Games title.
• First Indian to win a Diamond League meet: Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a Diamond League meet after he topped the field in Lausanne in 2022. With a depleted field that had world champion Anderson Peters missing, the Indian comfortably led the charts with an 89.08m throw, in his first attempt. 
• First Indian to become Diamond League champion: Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian athlete in history to clinch the Diamond League trophy, by winning the Zurich Diamond League 2022 Final. The Indian ace recorded a best throw of 88.44m to beat Tokyo 2020 silver medallist and 2016 champion Jakub Vadlejch to the title.
• First Indian to become world champion: Neeraj Chopra became India's first world champion after he clinched the gold medal in the men's javelin throw final at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest with an effort of 88.17m. It was Neeraj Chopra's second straight medal at the world championships after his silver at Oregon 2022.

Also Read: India at Olympics: India's Olympic medal tally by every edition

Neeraj Chopra Records: Best throws at major competitions

Indian javelin ace Neeraj Chopra bettered his throw of 89.94m with a season-best throw of 90.23m at the at the Doha Diamond League 2025. After this, he became the first Indian to breach the 90m mark in the sport.

Read Also: Every Neeraj Chopra Records You Should Know 

Despite the historic achievement, Chopra missed out on the top podium spot at the Doha Diamond League, where Germany’s Julian Weber stole the show with a massive throw. Chopra’s previous best was 89.94m, set on June 30, 2022, at the Stockholm Diamond League — a mark that stood as both his personal best and the men’s national record.

Neeraj achieved his target

• Neeraj Chopra’s best throw is 90.23m, achieved at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025. The mark stands as the men’s national record in India and Neeraj Chopra’s personal best.
• The second-best throw of Neeraj Chopra's career is 89.94m. Neeraj had thrown this throw in the Stockholm Diamond League on 30 June 2022. This throw is a national record and one of Neeraj Chopra's best throws.
• Neeraj Chopra's third-best throw of 89.49m came at the Lausanne Diamond League 2024This is Chopra's best throw ever at a global championship and his third-best overall.
• Neeraj Chopra's fourth-best throw in javelin throw came at Paris Olympics 2024 where he bagged the silver medal with an 89.45m throw. 
• His fifth best throw came in Paavo Nurmi Games in 2022 where he went close to that 90m mark once again.
• In the Lausanne Diamond League 2022, held in the month of August, Neeraj Chopra had thrown the sixth-best throw of his career. Neeraj had thrown the javelin 89.08 meters.
• Neeraj's seventh-best throw came in the Asian Games 2023 held in Hangzhou. In this round, Neeraj had achieved a distance of 88.88m.
• Neeraj Chopra's eighth-best throw came in the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest. In this competition which was held on August 25, 2023, Neeraj showed excellent performance and achieved a distance of 88.77m.
  

Also Read: India at Olympics: India's Olympic medal tally by every edition

Hello and welcome to the LIVE blog of Doha Diamond League 2025, where the largest Indian contingent in terms of numbers at any single Diamond League meet to date is going to perform. 

Double Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra will take part in the men's javelin event. Kishore Jena will be the second Indian to participate in that event.

Read Also | NEERAJ CHOPRA INJURY: A SAGA OF STRAIN, TECHNIQUE, AND RECOVERY

In the men's 5000m, Gulveer Singh will compete for India. Meanwhile, Parul Chaudhary will compete in the Women's 3000m steeplechase event. 

This is Koushik Biswas, who will bring you all the LIVE updates, results and commentary of the Doha Diamond League 2025 for you. So, stay tuned and enjoy the coverage. 

Indian Olympic and World Championships gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will complete at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 athletics meet to be held on June 24 at Czechia. This upcoming meet, which is also a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold label event, is the 64th edition of the Ostrava Golden Spike competition.

Also Read: List of athletes to participate in Neeraj Chopra Classic

Couldn't complete last year due to injury

Earlier, Neeraj Chopra pulled himself out of the Golden Spike in 2024 due to muscle injury. However, he attended that event as a special guest. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion will be hoping that the third time’s the charm.

Neeraj started 2025 season with gold

Neeraj Chopra kicked off his 2025 season with an impressive 84.52m throw at the Potchefstroom Invitational in South Africa. His performance secured the gold medal, topping a six-man field in what is a pivotal year for World Athletics. Chopra finished well ahead of 25-year-old South African javelin thrower Douw Smit, who recorded a best throw of 82.44m. 

The Indian athlete’s personal best and the Indian men’s javelin throw national record stands at 89.94m, achieved at the 2022 Stockholm Diamond League meet.

Neeraj to compete along with his new coach

Interestingly, the Golden Spike will see Neeraj compete in his new coach Jan Zelezny’s home turf. The Czech men’s javelin throw world record holder is also involved with organising the event.

“I am excited to announce that I will be competing at Zlatá Tretra Ostrava this year. It’s a legendary meet and this edition will be extra special. My coach Jan Zelezny not only won there many times but is also the director of the event,” Neeraj Chopra said.

“I am feeling great and hope you will see some really nice and long throws. I look forward to meeting you all,” he added.

Also Read: Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Full Schedule

Neeraj opted out of the Asian Athletics Championships

Before heading to Ostrava, Neeraj Chopra will be seen in action at the Doha Diamond League on May 16 and the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on May 24.

The Indian athlete has already opted out of the Asian Athletics Championships, which will be held in Gumi, the Republic of Korea, from May 27 to 31.

Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra has announced the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his career. Neeraj on Saturday announced the appointment of great javelin thrower Jan Zelezny as his new coach.

Also Read: NEERAJ CHOPRA INJURY: A SAGA OF STRAIN, TECHNIQUE, AND RECOVERY

Jan Zelezny, a three-time Olympic and world champion and current world record holder, has long been Chopra's idol. Actually, Neeraj Chopra was working with German coach Klaus Bartonietz till now, but Klaus has recently retired from coaching.

Announcing the new coach, Neeraj said, “Growing up, I admired Jan’s technique and precision and spent a lot of time watching videos of him. He was the best in the sport for so many years, and I believe that working with him will be invaluable because our throwing styles are similar, and his knowledge is unmatched. It’s an honour to have Jan by my side as I push towards the next level in my career, and I can’t wait to get started,” 

Chopra didn't breach 90m mark

Chopra, 26, won a historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and silver at the Paris Olympics 2024, as well as two world championships medals, silver at the 2022 Eugene edition and gold at the 2023 Budapest. However, over the past few years, Chopra has expressed his desire to breach the 90m mark. His alliance with Bartonietz after Paris, where Chopra again failed to hit the 90m mark while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won gold with an Olympic record 92.97m.

Also Read: Neeraj Chopra’s best throws: Here are all the top throws by javelin ace Neeraj Chopra

Under Zelezny's guidance, Neeraj will try to take his success to a different level. On this occasion, Jan Zelezny said, “I have already spoken about Neeraj as a great talent many years ago. When I saw him early in his career, I realised great possibilities for top results. I also said that if I should start to coach somebody from outside Czechia, my first choice would be Neeraj. I like his story and I see big potential, as he is young and able to improve."

Zelezny broke WR on four occasions

Jan Zelezny, a gold medalist at the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Games, has five of the top ten best throws of all time. In 1996, he set a world record in Germany with a throw of 98.48m. He broke the world record on four occasions.

When Chopra won gold at the Tokyo 2020, Zelezny was the coach of both other medalists Jakub Vadlejch (silver) and Vítězslav Veselý (bronze).. He has also coached two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion Barbora Špotáková.