With the Neeraj Chopra Classic, India's javelin ace and Olympics legend seeks to create a legacy
The Neeraj Chopra Classic, which will be held in Bengaluru's Kanteerava Stadium today, will bring together some of the greatest javelin stars in the world
The last few months have presented a different sort of challenge for Neeraj Chopra. He’s had to understand the world of floodlights and lumens. He’s had to walk around the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru to inspect everything from the gym to the changing room and the seating arrangements. He’s looked at which flowers seem the prettiest on the podium.
Chopra’s attention to detail has never been in doubt when it comes to launching the javelin, but he’s had to go beyond the scope of his usual grind while putting together the Neeraj Chopra Classic on 5 July. The inaugural edition, a World Athletics “A" category event, will feature three of the top 10 javelin throw exponents of the world. For once, it will be an exhibition of world-class action unfolding in Chopra’s own backyard.
“When I started travelling around the world to compete, I would see how well the events were organised and how people would step out to support the athletes. And I always imagined something of the sort in India that featured world-class competition. Finally it’s happening, so these are exciting times," Chopra said during a press conference earlier this year.
The inspiration for organising an event in his name was the Mondo Classic hosted by Swedish pole vaulting legend, Armand Duplantis, and the Keely Klassic started by Keely Hodgkinson, who took gold in the 800 metres at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
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“These guys not only organise the event but also compete in it. So, I thought there should be a similar competition for the javelin throw. In the time ahead, the idea is to make this an annual affair with more disciplines and top athletes," Chopra said at the press conference.
“Indian fans will have the opportunity to witness top athletes and what it takes to launch a javelin across those distances. To watch it live creates an impact and it will help popularise the sport further," he said.
The thrill of yet another first, alongside his current form, promises the NC Classic to be a grand spectacle. At the Doha Diamond League in May, Chopra had to settle for silver behind Julian Weber. But along the way, he smashed the 90m barrier—only the 25th athlete in the history of the sport to attain the mark.
“It (90m) is just a number, honestly, and I know I’m almost there. Whenever that throw is meant to happen, it will happen. So I have no pressure on when and where I will be able to pull it off," he had told India Today in 2022.
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Besides Chopra, the field features two others who have breached 90m in the past—2016 Rio Olympic gold medallist, Thomas Röhler of Germany, and 2015 world champion, Julius Yego of Kenya. Röhler’s mark of 93.90m from 2017 is third on the list of best throws. But since missing the Tokyo Olympics with a back injury, he’s still looking to find his place again at the top. At 36 years, Yego is the most experienced competitor in the field, high on confidence with consecutive gold in Finland in June, albeit in a much weaker field.
“For Neeraj to organise this event in India is a big step towards making the sport popular. Every competition is a learning experience for all, but more for the younger athletes. Indian athletes will be able to experience that feeling of competing against the best in the world, so it’s a very good opportunity for them," Yego told Mint in April.
Chopra will certainly be disappointed with the withdrawal of Anderson Peters of Grenada, a familiar rival whom he displaced last week to reclaim the World No.1 spot. But there are other young guns with the hunger and potential to spring a surprise. Brazil’s Luiz Maurício Da Silva enters the competition as the dark horse. At the Kip Keino Classic in May, he beat a strong field featuring Peters, Röhler, Yego and 2023 Pan American Games champion, Curtis Thompson, and the following month, took bronze at the Paris Diamond League.
Poland’s Cyprian Mrzygłód, who stepped in as Peters’ replacement, has had a busy June where he managed the seventh longest throw this year of 85.92m. Another contender who has stood out of late is Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage of Sri Lanka, whose mark of 85.45m at the Asian Athletics Championships is the tenth leading throw.
The other Indians in the fray are Sachin Yadav, Rohit Yadav, Sahil Silwal and Yash Vir Singh. The reigning national champion, Sachin Yadav, had a brilliant Asian Athletics Championships campaign in May where he took silver behind Arshad Nadeem. His throw of 85.16m is a personal best and the 11th best recorded this year. Rohit Yadav took silver at the National Games in February. In April, Singh took second spot at the National Federation Senior Championships in April where Silwal clinched bronze.
“It’s a great opportunity for Indian athletes since this is an ‘A’ category event with a lot of points at stake that can help them qualify for the World Championships in September," Chopra said at the press conference.
But come Saturday, all eyes will undoubtedly be on Chopra, who last competed on home soil in May 2024 and is coming off a solid performance, taking gold at the Ostrava Golden Spike as well as the Paris Diamond League last month. And an eager field that will look to upset the local boy.
Shail Desai is a Mumbai-based freelance writer.
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