Neeraj Chopra Claims Paris Diamond League Title with Dominant Opening Throw

Indian javelin ace and Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra secured his first Diamond League victory in two years, edging out his German rival Julian Weber in a high-profile competition in Paris. The 27-year-old reigning champion delivered an impressive first-round throw of 88.16m on Friday night, which proved enough to clinch the top spot in a strong field that included five elite athletes from the 90m club.

Chopra’s opening effort remained unbeaten through the competition. His second attempt registered 85.10m, followed by three fouls, before finishing with a final throw of 82.89m. Julian Weber claimed second place with an 87.88m opening throw, while Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio Da Silva secured third with a third-round effort of 86.62m.

Chopra was pleased with his performance after considering the intensity of his run-up. “I’m happy with the outcome and my toss. After winning gold and silver at the Olympics in consecutive years, Chopra remarked, “I’m happy to finish first even though the run-up was really quick today — I couldn’t quite control my speed.”

Chopra hasn’t won in the Diamond League since Lausanne in June 2023, when he threw 87.66 meters. He had since placed second in six straight meetings. Notably, he had previously participated in Paris as a junior world champion in 2017 and placed sixth; this was his first victory in the Paris leg of the Diamond League series.

Looking ahead, Chopra confirmed he would compete at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava on June 24, followed by hosting his inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on July 5 — a World Athletics Category A event.

Earlier in May, Chopra crossed the much-anticipated 90m mark at the Doha Diamond League with a 90.23m throw, though it earned him a second-place finish as Weber claimed victory with a final-round effort of 91.06m.

In Paris, other notable names included Julius Yego, Keshorn Walcott, and Anderson Peters — all past members of the 90m club — with Walcott finishing fourth at 81.66m, Peters fifth at 80.29m, and Yego close behind at 80.26m.