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Time of India
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Neeraj Chopra owns stage as he achieves yet another feat, realises dream of hosting own event
Neeraj Chopra achieved yet another feat in his illustrious career on Saturday by becoming the first Indian to compete in an international event as its host, owning the stage in an electrifying atmosphere at the Kanteerava Stadium here. The 27-year-old from Khandra village in Haryana's Panipat, who has won every accolade his sport has to offer, was the cynosure of all eyes as he fulfilled his lifetime dream. It is his way of giving back to the sport and to the fans the experience of watching him and other top international stars compete in front of their own eyes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo He has been inspired by world record holder Swedish pole vaulter Armando Duplantis and Kenyan distance running legend Kipchoge Keino who have international showpieces named after them -- Mondo Classic and Kip Keino Classic, which are World Athletics Continental Tour events. Chopra emulated Duplantis in having a single event World Athletics recognised competition in the name of an athlete. The world's best pole vaulters compete at Mondo Classic every year in Uppsala, Sweden. Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi is a multi-event competition. Live Events Under overcast, cool and windy conditions, and temperature measuring around 24 degree Celsius, the Kanteerava Stadium was not full but was enough to make deafening noise support to Chopra. Watched by family members and friends, Chopra was cheered by the adoring fans in all his throws in the 12-man competition. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah also watched the competition from the VVIP area. Chopra's parents and uncle as well as some close relatives were there. The double Olympic medallist and reigning world champion Chopra waved to the crowd while coming out for the first time to felicitate his coach and Czech javelin legend Jan Zelezny -- the world record holder with 98.48m -- before the competition. The crowd cheered the competitors when they came out, while Dhanda Nyoliwala performed Haryana hip-hop on the open field. The roar reached a crescendo when Chopra was ushered in. The event Initially set to be held in Panchkula, the event was relocated to Bengaluru due to lighting limitations at the original venue that affected live telecast capabilities. The event, granted Category A status by World Athletics, is considered a "dream project" of Chopra and aims to establish India as a credible host of elite-level athletics events. It had to be postponed following the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including several tourists.
Indian Express
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘I just randomly tweeted': Fan who got fully paid trip to NC Classic thanks to Neeraj Chopra, recounts experience
Ranjith Kumar Ravichandran became a viral sensation last month when his 'random' tweet was quote tweeted by Neeraj Chopra and now, the Coimbatore resident is at the Neeraj Chopra NC Classic event thanks to a fully paid trip thanks to the javelin star and the organizers. 'If anyone sponsor me 2000 rupees, I can go to watch this from Coimbatore,' Ranjith had posted. Much to everyone's delight, Neeraj quote tweeted the post, saying that, 'Hi, Ranjith. You've got a full VVIP experience waiting for you in Bengaluru because your trip to the nc_classic is on me! And thanks to RadissonHotels, you'll be staying about 90 metres away from me. See you soon.' 'I just randomly tweeted, I must have forgotten about it. After a day or so, suddenly a notification popped up in 'X' platform, a quoted tweet from Neeraj himself. I was like: Is this even real? Somebody come and pinch me so that I can feel it,' Ranjith told PTI. 'All of a sudden everything was happening. People were sharing the news and I was getting calls and all those things. I couldn't believe it initially. I checked twice. It's from Neeraj Chopra. I had to refresh and check it again whether it's real or not. Then I got a call (from NC Classic organisers) saying you are the lucky person to get sponsored to visit the event, stay in a (five-star) hotel and all those things. It was a pretty surreal moment at that time,' he added. The Neeraj Chopra Classic, the country's first-ever international javelin competition, will take place in Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday. A dream of Neeraj, the even bears his name like the Mondo Classic and Keeley Classic that are already part of the athletics calendar. NC Classic has been granted the World Athletics Gold level status. Asked what will be his first reaction when he meets Chopra in person for the first time, Ranjith said, 'I think I will be frozen for a moment. I will ask, are you real? I'll also get a signature so that I can probably frame it for a lifetime.' (With agency inputs)
Mint
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 LIVE: Bengaluru gears up for India's first major javelin showdown
05 Jul 2025, 04:41 PM IST The Neeraj Chopra Classic was approved as the gold-level meet by the World Athletics, just a rung below the Diamond League. The events starts from 7 PM IST at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. 05 Jul 2025, 04:38 PM IST The first-of-its-kind javelin competition in India, Neeraj Chopra Classic took inspiration several such events across the globe. One such event is the Mondo Classic, which is based on pole-vaulter Mondo Duplantis. 05 Jul 2025, 04:35 PM IST Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025.
Mint
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Mint
With the Neeraj Chopra Classic, India's javelin ace and Olympics legend seeks to create a legacy
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. Also Read Mastering the impossible: Inside the record-breaking world of pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis '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. Also Read India's hockey team hits a roadblock 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 Desai is a Mumbai-based freelance writer. Also Read The reason why athletics records are tumbling around the world
News18
04-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Neeraj Chopra Classic: Double Olympic Medallist Hopes To Spark Javelin Revolution
Last Updated: Neeraj Chopra hosts India's first global javelin gala with Olympic stars, aiming to inspire young throwers and boost grassroots infrastructure for the sport. Sachin Yadav sat in awe beside three Olympic medal-winning javelin throwers: Neeraj Chopra, Thomas Rohler, and Julius Yego. His presence on that glittering dais held deeper significance. It represented Chopra's dream of making javelin a household sport across the nation. In this context, the Neeraj Chopra Classic on Saturday could be India's equivalent to the Mondo Classic, a gala pole vault event hosted by world record holder and Olympic champion Armando Duplantis in his hometown Uppsala, Sweden. Duplantis is driven by an unquenchable desire to break his own world records, having done so 15 times, but Chopra has broader ambitions. Chopra emphasized the importance of inspiring the next generation of Indian javelin throwers. 'First of all, I want to thank Julius, Thomas, and everyone else from the heart of India. All are good friends of mine, and thank you so much for coming. Finally, we are sitting here with such great throwers. I am very happy that such an event is happening in India," Chopra said, appearing momentarily emotional. The double Olympic medalist also ensured that the host country would have fair representation. Hence, apart from himself and Sachin, an Asian Championship silver winner, India will field Rohit Yadav, Sahil Silwal, and Yashvir Singh. Chopra is not alone in his venture, as he has accomplished champions like Rohler and Yego by his side. All these young Indian javelin throwers have a connection to Rohler, the 2016 Olympic gold medallist from Germany, as they learn from his popular YouTube channel. Rohler said it was his duty to share his experiences and knowledge with aspiring athletes. 'I always love to share because only if I share, I will get into communication. I can leave a footprint. And to me, distances, medals, and all these things are just numbers on paper. I love to have a footprint in the sport. 'And this is why I don't hesitate to talk to the talents and also to open up because we do have experience in javelin. I'm really happy and glad that I can be an inspiration for many out there," he said. 'I know I also had an impact on these careers. So, this is just beautiful to see. And this is exactly the footprint that kind of makes me as happy as being an Olympic champion," Rohler added. Chopra has already seen an upswing in the fortunes of javelin through these efforts, with more sponsors backing these events. The Neeraj Chopra Classic has the support of an impressive array of corporates from private and public sectors — from JSW to BPCL. 'Yes, the sponsorship is increasing. I think private companies like JSW, Reliance, and others are supporting the athletes individually now, as it was not happening before," Chopra said. 'The athletes are getting a chance to compete abroad. The government's policy has also supported the athletes very well," he noted. Chopra understands that India still has miles to cover before consistently challenging traditional athletics powerhouses in international competitions, and he wants to see changes at the grassroots level. 'I am from a village. I didn't have a stadium. I used to go to Panipat for training. If there was a stadium nearby, maybe more children would be able to train. I see one thing when I fly to Europe. We can see some 50 football stadiums every 10-15 minutes," he said. 'And we will see as many stadiums if we travel from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. So, there should be as many stadiums as possible," he noted. Perhaps, the significant strides that Yadav has made in his fledgling career will boost Chopra's ambitions. The promising 25-year-old did not want to miss the chance to impress his illustrious peers. 'I couldn't believe that I got a message from Neeraj bhai. Thanks so much to Neeraj bhai for inviting me to this competition. 'I have been excited to play here. There are players from all over the world, the best throwers. I can compete with everyone, and that too in India," said an overwhelmed Yadav. Still, Bengaluru has not entirely embraced a World Athletics 'A' category event, a first in the city and the country. 'I keep coming to Bangalore. There is a lot of support. Sport is a passion for Bangalore people," Chopra remained optimistic. Even if the turnout does not match his expectations, Chopra knows that all revolutions in world history have begun with a soft spark. About the Author Sports Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you live updates, breaking news, opinions and photos from the wide world of sport. Follow @News18Sports
