‘Spectacular feat!’: PM Modi congratulates Neeraj Chopra for breaching 90 m mark at Doha Diamond League 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed India's world champion and Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra for breaching the 90 m mark at Doha Diamond League 2025.

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In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “A spectacular feat! Congratulations to Neeraj Chopra for breaching the 90 m mark at Doha Diamond League 2025 and achieving his personal best throw. This is the outcome of his relentless dedication, discipline and passion. India is elated and proud.”

With his 90.23 metres throw at the season-starting event, Neeraj stands in second place to Germany's Julian Weber, who delivered a monstrous throw of 91.06 m in the final set of throws to topple the Indian.

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Nonetheless, Neeraj, with a new national record of 90.23 m (breaking his record of 89.94 set during the Stockholm Diamond League 2022), and becoming the first Indian to achieve the coveted mark, which was so much discussed and debated in the media, stands at the top among all Indian athletes, ANI reported.

Neeraj Chopra's career

Neeraj's rise began early, with gold medals at the South Asian and World U20 Championships in 2016, a silver at the Asian U20 Championships the same year, and a gold at the 2017 Asian Championships.

His major breakthrough came at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, where he became the first Indian javelin thrower to win gold, recording a throw of 86.47m.

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However, it was his gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics that truly catapulted Neeraj into national stardom. On August 7, 2021, his 87.58m throw not only earned India its first-ever Olympic gold in athletics but also transformed his career. Despite the flood of endorsement deals, media attention, and a surge in social media followers, Neeraj remained focused—firmly in the mindset of a champion.

(With inputs from agencies)