India’s golden boy Neeraj Chopra had a topsy-turvy 2025, starting with his maiden 90m-plus throw and a tournament named in his honour, before missing the podium for the first time in seven years.
The two-time Olympic medallist began his third four-year cycle with a major change, appointing veteran javelin thrower Jan Železný as his coach at the start of the year.
The two worked efficiently on a new technique that reduced Chopra’s tendency to lean left at release and helped stabilise his stance.
To test his new technique and throwing stance, Neeraj began his season earlier than usual, winning the Potch Invitational Meet in South Africa with a throw of 84.52m.
Neeraj breaches the elusive 90m barrier
After a rigorous pre-season under Jan Železný, Neeraj was ready for another Diamond League campaign, beginning with the Doha Diamond League in May.
He announced his arrival for yet another big competitive year with a 90.23m throw in Doha, finishing second behind Germany’s Julian Weber.
It was a moment long-awaited not only by Neeraj himself but by millions of Indian fans, as he finally conquered the elusive 90m mark for the first time in his career.
The milestone lifted a significant burden off his shoulders, allowing him to compete with greater freedom, with no major personal target left to chase.
He carried that momentum forward, registering three consecutive top-two finishes, including back-to-back victories at the Paris Diamond League and the Ostrava Golden Spike Meet.
The Historic Neeraj Chopra Classic
The year was made even more special as Neeraj became one of the rare athletes to compete in a global tournament named in his honour.
Recognising his transformative impact on Indian athletics, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) hosted the first-ever global javelin-only meet, the Neeraj Chopra Classic.
To the delight of Indian fans, Chopra was crowned champion at the inaugural event, producing a winning throw of 86.18m despite challenging windy conditions.
The event was a unique experience for Neeraj, who was involved not only as an athlete but also in organising the competition. Speaking to this site later, he said, “There was a lot of pressure on me as my name is associated with the event.”
First Podium miss in 7 years
After a bright start to the season, Neeraj endured a few unusually below-par performances compared to his customary dominance.
At the Diamond League Final in Zurich, he struggled to find rhythm, recording three foul throws and sitting third after five attempts.
However, he regrouped in his final throw, producing an 85.01m effort to finish second and extend his top-two finish streak to 26 consecutive competitions.
That consistency, though, came to a halt at the World Athletics Championships, where Neeraj endured a rare setback, finishing eighth with a best throw of 84.03m.
It marked his lowest placement in a decade, since ninth place at the 2015 Asian Championships, and his first podium miss since the 2018 IAAF Continental Cup.
The result came as a shock to Indian fans accustomed to seeing their icon return with a medal, and served as a reminder that even Neeraj is human and vulnerable to off days.
Chopra later revealed that he was not fully fit heading into the event, having struggled with back pain, but chose to compete for his country regardless.
With 2025 now behind him and another year added to his career, Neeraj Chopra will look to mount a strong comeback in 2026, a year highlighted by two major multi-sport events: the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
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