Neeraj Chopra started his preparation for Doha Diamond League with a gold medal at the Potch Invitational Track event on Wednesday. Held in Potchefstroom, South Africa, the Olympic gold and silver medalist, threw his spear at a distance of 84.52m to top the six-man field. It was also Neeraj’s first medal in 2025.
It is to be noted that the gold medal in Potchefstroom was also Neeraj’s first with legendary coach Jan Zelezny. The Indian finished ahead of South African Douw Smit, who recorded a 82.44m throw. Neeraj’s personal best is 89.94m.
Notably, Neeraj and Smit’s throws are the only ones to cross the 80m mark. The third place went to South African Duncan Robertson with a 71.22m. After parting ways with German coach Klaus Bartonietz, Neeraj has been training in Potchefstroom with Jan Zelezny. Zelezny is a three-time Olympic champion and world record holder.
What’s next for Neeraj Chopra?
Next up, Neeraj will compete at the Doha Diamond League on May 16 with an eye on the elusive 90m mark. After the surge in the sport in India following his two medals at the Olympic medals, the Indian will have a competition named under him.
Approved as a category A event by the World Athletics, Panchkula in Haryana will hold ‘Neeraj Chopra Classic’ – a one-day javelin event with all the top athletes featuring in it. The Neeraj Chopra Classic is scheduled for May 24. If successful, the Neeraj Chopra Classic will be an annual event in the World Athletics calendar.
The Neeraj Chopra Classic will also serve as a qualification event for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Neeraj has already qualified for event. The last time Neeraj competed in India was during the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar last year. He threw 82.27m, which was also the build-up for Paris 2024 Olympics.