logo
Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 kicks off with festive fervour at Sree Kanteerava Stadium

Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 kicks off with festive fervour at Sree Kanteerava Stadium

Hans Indiaa day ago
Bengaluru: Sree Kanteerava Stadium came alive on Saturday evening as the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 got underway in a grand celebration of sport, culture, and unity. Named after Olympic gold medallist and national icon Neeraj Chopra, the event promises a world-class javelin showdown with elite throwers from across the globe
Sanctioned by the Athletics Federation of India and co-organised by Chopra himself, the event has earned World Athletics Gold-level status.
The evening began on a vibrant note, with traditional festivities at the stadium gates. Schoolchildren, among the first to arrive, filled the stands with cheers and infectious energy, creating a lively atmosphere. A dazzling light show and live music and dance performance set the tone for the evening. An all-female dance collective, The Vixens Crew, stole the spotlight early on with their performance. Known for their fierce style and viral dance routines, the group brought unmatched energy to the stage. Following them was Haryanvi hip hop star Dhanda Nyoliwala, who amped up the crowd with his beats and lyrics, adding a local flavour to the global event. As the evening progressed, the energy inside the Kanteerava Stadium only soared higher. Neeraj Chopra, the golden boy from Haryana, clearly stole Bengaluru's heart. Every time he stepped up for a run-up during the warm-up session, the stadium erupted in thunderous roars and cheers. The crowd hung on to his every move, turning even his warm-up throws into moments of pure magic.
With a stellar lineup featuring some of the top javelin athletes in the world, fans can expect edge-of-the-seat action in breezy Bengaluru weather.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Lydia Ko surprises fans with rare peek into her personal life in new Instagram post
Lydia Ko surprises fans with rare peek into her personal life in new Instagram post

Time of India

time6 hours ago

  • Time of India

Lydia Ko surprises fans with rare peek into her personal life in new Instagram post

A fresh wave of warmth hit Instagram on Monday when Olympic gold medalist and New Zealand golf star Lydia Ko posted touching snapshots from her personal life. Moving beyond her athletic achievements, the post shows Ko smiling alongside her mother, sister, and beloved dog, capturing rare, down‑to‑earth moments that reveal her affection for the people who support her off the course. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Lydia Ko and her family enjoy wholesome day together In the post, Lydia Ko tags her mother and sister in a series of cozy photos taken at home and a local park. The images show them holding coffee cups on a porch, walking the dog by a green field, and sharing candid laughter. Lydia Ko writes, 'Few of my favorite moments thanks to my favorite people,' hinting at her close bond with her loved ones. The scenes include casual outfits, peaceful surroundings, and the soft evening light, creating a calm, personal vibe that fans we rarely see in her sports highlights. Lydia Ko brings fans into private joy beyond Olympic golf life This update offers a fresh angle on Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko, reminding fans that her life is more than golf. Known for winning gold in Tokyo 2024 and her impressive pro career, today she shows vulnerability and gratitude in everyday settings. The post resonates with thousands, who praise her for balancing fame, family, and self-care. It sparks discussions about how elite athletes, like Lydia Ko, navigate life off the green, and how small, shared moments can mean more than medals. Also Read: Lydia's decision to post real-life snapshots reflects a growing trend among sports influencers sharing authentic content. Instead of glamorous tournaments, followers now connect with moments that feel familiar: morning coffee, playful pet time, strong family ties. In a world usually defined by scoreboards, Lydia Ko's everyday moments offer a sense of grounding. Her heartfelt words and images remind fans that behind her Olympic success, she's also a daughter, sister, and pet owner who values life's simplest joys.

A Neeraj Chopra show for Indian sports
A Neeraj Chopra show for Indian sports

Hindustan Times

time8 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

A Neeraj Chopra show for Indian sports

Neeraj Chopra has made it a habit to set new benchmarks. First, by winning Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020 and the World Championships in 2023, he showed the country that the sky's the limit even in athletics. Now, with the successful hosting of the Neeraj Chopra Classic, he is showing people that while mega events are important, smaller events have the potential of building the sporting ecosystem. PREMIUM The organisers lined up fan engagement programmes for a week with Chopra — with the star meeting people, signing jerseys, attending functions (AFP) The Neeraj Chopra Classic is a World Athletics gold-level event — the top-tier track and field event on the IAAF circuit ranked behind only the Olympics, the Diamond League and the World Championships. It attracted top athletes on the circuit and also gave sports fans in the country a chance to watch them live. On television, we never truly appreciate how far the spear is hurled by the javelin throwers but to watch it happen in a stadium is an inspiring experience. A 14,500-strong audience in the stands, and many others in crowded corporate boxes turned up for the event at the Sri Kanteerava Stadium at Bengaluru. The lead-up to the event was equally important. The organisers lined up fan engagement programmes for a week with Chopra — with the star meeting people, signing jerseys, attending functions. There was a lot of activity on the ground and for a country that is still looking for more athletics heroes, this is important. A total of 16 brands came onboard for the event, a staggeringly high number for a non-cricket event in India. The sponsorship revenue is estimated to be in the range of ₹8-12 crore. And there was a broadcast partner. All of this indicates the hunger for world-class sports in India and helps create a market. Beyond the financials, such events can help awaken the sports potential in India. We need more. Neeraj Chopra Olympic Gold Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! - Login Now! Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! - Login Now! See Less All Access. One Subscription. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives. E-Paper Full Archives Full Access to HT App & Website Games Already subscribed? Login SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON

Neeraj's popularity can boost Indian track and field
Neeraj's popularity can boost Indian track and field

Hindustan Times

time10 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

Neeraj's popularity can boost Indian track and field

Bengaluru: Four years ago, Neeraj Chopra raised India's flag at the Tokyo Olympics with no fans in the stands to cheer him on. The Covid-induced protocols meant the venue was empty. Only a handful of Indian athletes, support staff and media witnessed the greatest moment in Indian athletics on the global stage up close. India's Neeraj Chopra acknowledges his fans after winning the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 javelin tournament at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday. (AFP) Yet, on that heady Tokyo night Chopra took a victory lap around the National Stadium, humbly acknowledging their presence and soaking in the feeling. It was a moment of triumph, but the image of a tricolour-draped Chopra celebrating in an empty stadium left one wishing that he should get another opportunity to perform in front of fans in the Olympics. That moment came at the Paris Olympics where Chopra won silver with fans from India making the trip to watch him in action. In four years, Chopra has captured the world championship, Diamond League title and numerous elite level competitions around the world, emerging as a big star of global track and field. Wherever he has gone, the Indian diaspora has been present in full strength to back him. Chopra's stature has grown with each spectacular performance, tremendously boosting his popularity in India. However, in these four years, Chopra had appeared in only one event at home – a domestic competition where his presence went almost unnoticed because of his late confirmation. There was a growing sense that his charisma wasn't utilised to full potential. One longed to see him in a top international competition in India with fans watching him from up and close. That wish was fulfilled at a packed Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday at the Neeraj Chopra Classic. Hopefully, India's sponsors and corporate houses will realise the potential of sports other than cricket. To watch Chopra being swarmed by spectators and showered with love was a delight. He had been in the city for a week doing fan engagement programmes and promoting the event. Everywhere, people sought his autograph and selfies, and received him with warmth. His humility and ability to strike a chord with people stands apart. Even Chopra was surprised by the response and promised to do his bit to get more international events to India. He realises the importance of providing people the opportunity to watch world class athletics action. At the same time, his message was for them to also go and watch domestic competitions and encourage athletes. 'You see the environment today. It's so encouraging for athletes when you have fans coming to stadiums and supporting you. We were talking about it today, about the atmosphere. Our athletes Sachin Yadav, Rohit they were so excited seeing the crowd. This is the kind of support we need for our athletes. They work so hard. When you come along with children, they will feel inspired to take up the sport,' said Chopra. 'We always wanted people to come for domestic track and field meets. AFI has made attempts to draw people to national competitions. So, I want to tell people 'please go and watch domestic meets'. Athletics is full of action. You will see sprinters, throwers, jumpers. At first people might feel so many actions taking place at the same time. Someone is jumping, somebody throwing, and some athletes sprinting. But when you start following and understanding the sport, it is so thrilling,' Chopra explained. Even Chopra, who is usually in control of his emotions, felt the adrenalin rush in front of thousands of fans. With the energy of the roaring crowd behind him, he pushed himself a bit too much on the first throw before reining himself with the second throw. 'Itna jyada energy tha stadium mein josh mein kiya first throw. Then spoke to coach and made some technical correction. I was still not happy with my runway, but that I am able to perform under such pressure situation makes me happy. The last few days I have been busy looking after organising. Though my team was there to help, I wanted everyone, international athletes, to return with a good experience. I wasn't able to train much but somewhere the feeling was there that I also have to do well in an event named after me and in front of home crowd. That way it's a relief that everything went well. 'Indian athletes playing alongside Olympic and world champions in this atmosphere is a big thing for them. That was the idea, to give them some quality competition and for Indian fans to watch them live.' It's a start that needs to be backed up with planning. AFI spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla, who is also vice president of World Athletics, says it already has plans to pitch for the world Championships and world relays. 'We had officials from World Athletics here. It was so well organised with such a great support from people. We will be pitching for the world championships in 2029 and 2031. AFI has also shown interest in bidding for the junior world Championships 2028. 'We will bid for both and see which one we can get to host. We will also bid for the world relays and other events.' Neeraj's popularity can lend the support needed for Indian track and field to go among the masses.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store