Is India Celebrating Neeraj Chopra's Historic 90.23m Throw?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Neeraj Chopra made history by breaching the 90m mark.
- PM Modi hailed this achievement as a moment of national pride.
- Chopra's throw of 90.23m was a personal best.
- He secured second place behind Julian Weber.
- Chopra expressed optimism for future competitions.
New Delhi, May 17 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra for achieving a monumental milestone at the Doha Diamond League 2025, marking his first-ever breach of the 90-metre mark. Modi praised the javelin thrower's unwavering commitment and declared it a moment of national pride.
Chopra made history by becoming the first Indian athlete to surpass the 90m threshold in an international event, recording an impressive 90.23m throw during his third attempt in the men's javelin competition.
His previous record stood at 89.94m, which he achieved in 2022 at the Stockholm Diamond League.
On social media platform X, Prime Minister Modi expressed, "A remarkable achievement! Congratulations to Neeraj Chopra for reaching the 90m mark at the Doha Diamond League 2025 and setting a new personal best. This success reflects his relentless dedication, discipline, and passion. India is filled with joy and pride."
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also congratulated the star athlete on X, describing this accomplishment as a historic milestone. He stated, "Neeraj Chopra has made history at the 2025 Doha Diamond League by crossing the 90-metre mark for the first time. This is not just a personal achievement but a proud moment for our entire nation. I wholeheartedly congratulate our 'Golden Boy' Neeraj Chopra on this historic success and wish him a bright future."
Despite achieving a new personal best, Chopra secured second place in the competition, with Germany's Julian Weber taking the top position with an astounding 91.06m throw, also marking his first time surpassing the 90m barrier.
After the event, Chopra expressed mixed emotions about the results.
"I feel a bit bittersweet. I'm thrilled about the 90m, but coming in second—this happened to me before in Turku and Stockholm. I broke the national record and still ended up second today. However, I am happy for Julian Weber, who also broke 90m today. We have both aimed for this for so many years, and we achieved it together," he remarked.
Chopra also shared insights about his previous physical challenges, particularly a groin injury that affected his performance over the last few seasons.
"For the past few years, I always felt discomfort in my groin, which hindered my best performances. This year, I feel significantly better," he added.
Looking ahead to a busy season that includes the World Championships, Chopra expressed hope and ambition.
"We will focus on refining certain aspects, and I believe I can achieve a throw greater than 90m in the upcoming events this year," he stated.