Anderson Peters, Julius Yego Among Global Stars Set to Compete in 'Neeraj Chopra Classic' Javelin Meet
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Synopsis
The Neeraj Chopra Classic Javelin meet set for May 24 in Bengaluru will feature international stars like Anderson Peters and Julius Yego. Neeraj Chopra, the two-time Olympic medallist, emphasizes the importance of this event for qualifying for the World Athletics Championships.
Key Takeaways
- Neeraj Chopra reveals international stars competing.
- Event scheduled for May 24 in Bengaluru.
- Anderson Peters and Julius Yego confirmed participants.
- Vital qualification for World Athletics Championships.
- Venue changed due to lighting issues.
New Delhi, April 21 (NationPress) Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has revealed the names of several international stars who will participate in the Neeraj Chopra Classic Javelin meet, taking place on May 24 in Bengaluru.
Known as the NC Classic, this one-day javelin throw event is recognized as a World Athletics ‘A’ category competition, comparable to a Continental Tour Gold-level event in terms of ranking points.
Headlining the event, which will see elite male and female javelin throwers from around the globe compete in India for the first time, is the double Olympic medallist.
During a virtual press conference organized by JSW regarding the upcoming international javelin event named after him, Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, the reigning world champion disclosed that Paris Olympic bronze medallist and two-time world champion Anderson Peters from Grenada, along with Rio Olympic silver medallist and former world champion Julius Yego from Kenya, are among the javelin stars who will be visiting India for this one-day meet.
Notably, Peters clinched the Diamond League finale in Brussels last year, edging out Neeraj Chopra for a second-place finish.
“Anderson Peters (Grenada), Julius Yego (Kenya), Curtis Thompson (America), and Thomas Rohler are just a few of the international athletes who will participate in the Neeraj Chopra Classic Javelin throw meet in Bengaluru. We will announce more names later. There will also be Indian stars competing. I have spoken to Rohit (Yadav),” Chopra responded to an IANS inquiry on Monday.
The NC Classic 2025 will be a vital qualification event for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo taking place from September 13 to 21, although Neeraj, the current world champion, has already earned his spot.
“We are aiming to have at least 4-5 Indian athletes participating. It’s a gold-level event, which will provide good ranking points for qualifying for the World Championships,” he added.
When asked about the participation of the reigning Olympic champion, Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan, the 27-year-old Indian athletics star stated, “We have also invited Arshad Nadeem, but we have yet to receive a confirmation.”
Chopra further confirmed that the event, originally set to be held in his home state of Haryana at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula, has been moved to Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium.
Explaining the reason for the venue change, the javelin star mentioned, “The stadium in Haryana lacks sufficient lighting necessary for broadcasting. It was 600 lux (at Tau Devi Lal Stadium), but we needed more. There wasn’t enough time to get it fixed.”
He concluded, “I spoke with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and he responded positively.”
