Bengaluru, July 5 (NationPress) The celebrated double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, a beacon of Indian athletics, showcased his exceptional prowess by clinching victory at the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, a prestigious World Athletics gold-level event, with a remarkable throw of 86.18m at Sree Kanteerva Stadium this Saturday.

Kenya’s Julius Yego secured the second position with his season-best throw of 84.51m, while Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage took third place with a throw of 84.34m.

Chopra, greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of 14,593, started with a foul throw but quickly gained momentum, achieving a lead with his second attempt of 82.99m.

The Indian superstar, who previously won gold at the Tokyo Olympics and silver in Paris 2024, delivered the standout throw of the evening with his third attempt—an impressive 86.16m that thrilled the audience. He followed this with a foul in his fourth attempt and a throw of 84.07m in the fifth, concluding the event with a final throw of 82.22m.

“Thank you, Bengaluru, for coming tonight. The headwind presented challenges today, affecting our marks. However, it was a unique experience for me—there was so much more to do beyond just competing. We aim to include more events. I’m thrilled to be here tonight with my family. I felt a bit nervous and am not entirely satisfied with the results, but overall, I’m happy. Thank you!” Chopra expressed post-event.

Chopra kicked off his season winning the Potch Invitational Meet in Potchefstroom, South Africa, back in April. He then secured second place at the Doha Diamond League, where he broke the elusive 90m barrier with a throw of 90.23m, setting a new Indian national record.

In subsequent competitions, he placed second at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland before achieving first place at the Paris Diamond League meet last week. He then topped the podium with an 88.16m throw at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2025, followed closely by a throw of 85.29m.