Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra clinched his first Diamond League title in two years, recording a top throw of 88.16 meters in Paris on Friday night, beating German rival Julian Weber and other elite athletes, including multiple members of the prestigious 90m club.
The 27-year-old secured the top spot with his very first throw, followed by efforts of 85.10m, three fouls, and a final throw of 82.89m. Weber finished second with 87.88m, while Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio Da Silva claimed third with 86.62m.
Speaking after the event, Chopra said, “My run-up was really fast today. I can’t control the speed much, but I’m happy with the result and first position.”
This marks Chopra’s first Paris DL win and his first Diamond League title since Lausanne 2023. He had placed second in six meetings following that win.
Looking ahead, Chopra confirmed his participation in the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava on June 24, followed by the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on July 5 — a World Athletics Category A event hosted by the star athlete himself.
Chopra had earlier breached the 90m barrier in Doha on May 16 with a throw of 90.23m, finishing second to Weber, who threw 91.06m. The two met again at the Kusocinski Memorial on May 23, where Weber edged Chopra once more.
Apart from Chopra and Weber, Friday’s Paris event featured other javelin heavyweights including:
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Julius Yego (Kenya, 2015 World Champion) – 80.26m
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Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad & Tobago, 2012 Olympic Gold) – 81.66m
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Anderson Peters (Grenada, two-time World Champion) – 80.29m
Chopra opened his 2025 season with a win at an invitational event in Potchefstroom, South Africa, with a throw of 84.52m.
