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India Today
05-07-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Neeraj Chopra Classic Live Updates: Huge crowd cheers India's Olympic hero
At the NC Classic, each thrower gets three attempts to begin with. After these, the top eight athletes based on their best distances move forward, while the bottom four are eliminated. The throwing order is then reshuffled in the reverse order of standings, so that the leader throws last before proceeding to the fourth and fifth throws. After the fifth round, the order is reshuffled once more for the sixth and final throw, again based on current rankings. This gives the top contend- ers a dramatic finish as they throw last. A huge roar for Neeraj Chopra. Wearing a green jumper, the two-time Olympic medalist has begun his warm-ups. He has been joined by his coach and javelin great Jan Zelezny. The Bengaluru crowd roared when Zelezny was introduced at the NC Classic. Knowledgable! Neeraj also had a quick worth with the volunteers out there. That's the organiser's side of him? Keep in mind, he is the host of the event along with JSW Sports. Here's a look at the cowd in one of the biggest stands at the Stree Kanteerava Stadium. The venue is 50 percent full. We are still 90 minutes away from the start of the competition. This is huge. Neeraj Chopra, the organiser, will be thrilled. Neeraj Chopra is committed to making the Neeraj Chopra classic an even bigger event with the addition of more sporting events. "As I said, we are going to add more events. So our Indian athletes who do well at the global level, will get a chance in India to compete among other good athletes. So, we intend to increase this event further," said Chopra. It's quite windy out here at Sree Kanteerava Stadium. And the win is blowing against the trajectory of the throws. It's not good news for those who have come here to watch big throws. The weather, however, is holding up. It's not hot, it's cloudy and pleasant as always. Here's the start list and the personal and season bests of each of the 12 throwers today. NC CLASSIC: THE START LIST Indians Neeraj Chopra (IND) - PB and SB: 90.23m Sachin Yadav (IND) - PB and SB: 85.16m Rohit Yadav (IND) - PB: 83.41m | SB: 80.47m Sahil Silwal (IND) - PB: 81.81m | SB: 77.84m Yash Vir Singh (IND) - PB and SB: 82.57m Overseas Stars Thomas Rhler (GER) - PB 93.90m | SB: 80.79m Julius Yego (KEN) - PB 92.72m | SB: 83.08m Cyprian Mrzygld (POL) - PB and SB: 85.92m Luiz Maurcio da Silva (BRA) - PB and SB: 86.62m Curtis Thompson (USA) - PB and SB: 87.76m Martin Konecn (CZE) - PB and SB: 80.59m Rumesh Pathirage (SRI) - PB and SB: 85.45m The sun has hidden behind the clouds. It's overcast. The lights at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium will come into effect soon. The atmosphere is lively. While the VIP stands are yet to fill, the school kids are putting on a scene. It's so wonderful to watch the turn out for this historic javelin event. The Sree Kanteerava Stadium is slowly filling up. There are plenty of school kids who have come to see the javelin event in action. Imagine the impact these champions will have on these young minds. One of them might pick up a spear and go on to become a champion in the future. Isn't that what Neeraj dreamt of? Read: Neeraj Chopra Classic: Fueled by dreams, friendships and hope for a better future The Neeraj Chopra Classic is the embodiment of Chopra's long-held dream. Having seen packed stands in cities like Tokyo, Paris, Doha and Lausanne, Neeraj had yearned for something similar back home. Now, he has brought top competitors to India and offered the younger generation in the sport an opportunity to enjoy the spotlight that he has so often basked in. The preparations are in full swing at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru as we're just over an hour away from the main event. Our man Akshay Ramesh provides more updates from ground zero. Several budding athletes have come up to watch Neera Chopra in action. 'We've never seen him live. We want to watch our hero in action,' says one of their coaches. There's massive cloud cover at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru at the moment. Neeraj Chopra's jersey is being sold outside the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. The venue is expected to be packed to the rafters as a massive influx of crowd is expected to witness Chopra compete alongside the several top contenders from across the globe. Julius Yego and Thomas Rhler will be amongst the favourites. Watch out for Curtis Thompson and Rumesh Pathirage, who can produce a big 85m-plus throw. Sachin Yadav will also be licking his lips to make a mark and become a household name. The NC Classic will be Neeraj's sixth meeting of 2025. He heads into the competition off the back of wins at the Paris Diamond League (88.16m) and Ostrava Golden Spike (85.29m) in June. Neeraj breached the 90m mark for the first time in his career earlier this year at the Doha Diamond League. He holds the second-best throw of the season (90.23m). Only Julian Weber of Germany has thrown farther-91.06m in Doha this season. Former world champion Anderson Peters has pulled out of the Neeraj Chopra Classic citing injury. Peters, who was expected to be Neeraj's biggest rival in the competition, decided to skip the Bengaluru event due to an injury sustained in the last competition he played in France. Here's a walk-through of the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru one day ahead of the event by our man Akshay Ramesh. Neeraj Chopra has been the fan favourite in the Indian scene for a long time. And that affection has shown in Bengaluru. 400 km. One dream. Incredible spirit. A fan's journey to meet Neeraj Chopra at the Neeraj Chopra Classic ended with smiles, selfies, and autographs from the champion himself. 💛🏅#NeerajChopraClassic #javelin #athletes #GameOfThrows #eventday — Neeraj Chopra Classic (@nc_classic) July 5, 2025 Our man Akshay Ramesh is sending some early details from the ground. Here's what the order of throw is going to look like: Sahil Silwal (India) Rohit Yadav (India) Martin Konecny (Czech Republic) Thomas Rohler (Germany) Yashvir Singh (India) Julius Yego (Kenya) Sachin Yadav (India) Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka) Cyprian Mrzyglod (Poland) Luiz Mauricio Da Silva (Brazil) Curtis Thompson (USA) Neeraj Chopra (India) Neeraj Chopra: Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has already etched his name in the history books by becoming the first track and field athlete from the country to win an Olympic gold medal. He is also a world champion - India's first-ever in senior athletics - and a Diamond League winner, also a first by any Indian. His personal best is 90.23m. Sachin Yadav: Sachin holds a personal best of 85.16m. The Asian Championships silver medallist recently secured gold medals at both Federation Cup and the National Games this year. Rohit Yadav: The 24-year-old Rohit, with a personal best of 83.40m achieved in 2023, underwent surgery that year and returned to competition subsequently. He claimed a silver medal at the National Games 2025 with 80.47m. Sahil Silwal: Sahil, 24, represents another promising talent in the 80m category, holding a personal best of 81.81m from his gold-winning performance at last year's National Inter-State Championships. He secured third position at the Federation Cup with a 77.84m throw. He won the gold medal at the Winckelmann Games 2024 athletics meet in Germany with a 75.36m throw. Yashvir Singh: Yashvir Singh has a personal best of 82.57m, which came at the 2025 Asian Championships in Gumi, Korea. Yashvir first came into limelight when he rewrote Neeraj Chopra's U-20 Fed Cup meet record in 2021 with a 78.68m throw. Thomas Rohler (Germany): Germany's Thomas Rohler is 2016 Olympics champion and one of the sport's all-time greats. His personal best is 93.90m. Julius Yego (Kenya): The Kenyan athlete Yego, who is a 2015 World champion and 2016 Olympic silver medallist, has been trailblazing javelin's rise in Africa. His personal best is 92.72m. Curtis Thompson (USA): Curtis Thompson is a top-ranked American javelin thrower, Pan American Games champion (2023) and a consistent performer on the Diamond League circuit with a personal best of 87.76m. Martin Konecny (Czech Republic): Martin Konecny is a 27-year-old javelin thrower from the Czech Republic. He has established himself as a competitive athlete in the javelin, with his personal best record being 80.59 meters, achieved in 2025. Konecny has participated in various international competitions, including the European Athletics Championships, where he qualified for the final in 2022, finishing in 12th place. He is a notable figure in Czech javelin throwing and has been consistently amongst the top performers in his country. Luiz Mauricio Da Silva (Brazil): A South American powerhouse with multiple podium finishes at the South American Athletics Championships across various age categories. His personal best is 86.62m. Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka): A rising star from the subcontinent, Pathirage recently set a new national record and claimed gold at the Asian Throwing Championships last year. His personal best is 85.45m. Cyprian Mrzygod (Poland): The 27-year-old Polish athlete, Cyprian, is European U23 champion, winning the gold medal in 2019. His personal best is 85.92 metres, set in Kuortane this year.
India Today
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
What's the buzz about Neeraj Chopra Classic? A historic first for Indian sport
It's a landmark day for Indian sport. For the first time ever, the country will host a top-tier athletics meet-and fittingly, it's centred around the man who redefined India's relationship with track and field. On Saturday, 5 July, the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru will witness the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, a world-class javelin event headlined and hosted by none other than the Olympic hero down in Bengaluru, and it's clear something special is brewing. Near the airport, a couple of massive hoardings of Neeraj Chopra welcome visitors. Across the city, graffiti-styled banners-vivid, bold, and designed to grab attention-line major roads and intersections. If you've been stuck in one of Bengaluru's notorious traffic jams this week, chances are you've already spotted these eye-catching displays featuring India's golden known for his quiet demeanour off the field, has taken an unusually hands-on role in championing his dream project. From engaging with fans to meeting locals in the city during morning walks, he's been all in. If you were on Brigade Road on Friday, you might've seen a man carrying a javelin, casually asking people if they knew about Neeraj and the NC Classic. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Neeraj Chopra Classic (@neerajchopraclassic) So, what's the big deal about the NC Classic?Quite a lot, IS THE NC CLASSIC?The NC Classic is a one-day Continental Tour meeting, which has received Gold status from World Athletics. It's the first-of-its-kind track and field meeting to be staged in the world-apart from the World and Continental Championships and the Diamond League meetings-there are a series of Continental Tour events, which are divided into several categories like A (Gold), B (Silver), C (Bronze), and Challenger with Gold status, the NC Classic is one of the top one-day events, just below the rung of the Diamond the Ostrava Golden Spike in the Czech Republic, where Neeraj competed earlier this year? That's a Golden-rated World Athletics event that has been a traditional meeting since with the Mondo Classic? It's a Silver-category pole vault event organised by pole vaulting great Mondo Duplantis in Sweden every NC Classic will offer substantial points to competing athletes as they bid to qualify for the World Athletics Championships, scheduled to be held in September in also offers significant prize importantly, young Indian throwers are set to gain exposure by competing with world-class is the beginning of a new chapter in our athletics," Neeraj told the media in Bengaluru on Friday. "Medals are a different thing. But I've given something like this to India and to Indian athletes. I'm very happy about that."HOW DID THE NC CLASSIC COME ABOUT?Neeraj, who had felt the romance of competing in front of packed stands abroad, dreamt of bringing such an atmosphere to India right after the Tokyo Olympics. The push towards the NC Classic intensified last year when Neeraj and JSW Sports got into action."The thought had been brewing after the Tokyo Olympics, and it was a year ago that we switched gears and began working to make Neeraj's dream a reality. We were confident of being able to pull it off," said Karan Yadav, Chief Commercial Officer, to procuring the stadium, readying the field of play to match world-class standards, getting sponsors and partners on board, inviting the athletes and coordinating their travel, stay and training preferences, an aggressive marketing and content push, ticketing-the list is extensive. All I'll say is that this has been a mammoth effort to deliver an unforgettable experience."Neeraj has donned the hat of organiser for the first time, juggling training and fulfilling commitments around hosting the NC Classic. Neeraj Chopra at Sree Kanteerava Stadium (JSW Sports Media) advertisementSO, WHO WILL COMPETE IN THE NC CLASSIC?Yes, Neeraj will compete in the NC Classic. He is part of the 12-man field that will take the stage on Saturday. Neeraj trained with his coach and world record holder, Jan Zelezny, overseeing preparations on Friday."The athlete in me is always up," Neeraj said when asked if he had been able to find time to prepare for the event as a competitor while managing his duties as Rhler, the 2016 Olympic gold medallist, and Julius Yego, silver medallist from Rio, are the other two Olympic medallists in the field. Both had no hesitation in turning up for the event when Neeraj invited USA's Curtis Thompson, who has a season best of 87.76m, will also be in world champion Anderson Peters was ruled out of the meet earlier this month due to next generation of Indian javelin will also be in action. Four Indian throwers under the age of 25 will have the big stage and a chance to become household names:Sachin Yadav - 24Yash Vir Singh - 23Rohit Yadav - 24Sahil Silwal - 24Sachin Yadav, touted as the next big thing in Indian javelin, heads into the meet after setting his personal best of 85.16m. Tall and stocky, Sachin throws a bit like Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem and effortlessly clears big distances. He has been consistently throwing over 80m over the last 12 months.22-year-old Yash Vir Singh, who finished fifth at the Asian Athletics Championships earlier this year, will also be in will also be a major stop for some overseas youngsters like Cyprian Mrzygld of Poland, Luiz Maurcio da Silva of Brazil, and fast-bowler-turned-javelin-star from Sri Lanka, Rumesh CLASSIC: THE START LISTIndiansNeeraj Chopra (IND) - PB and SB: 90.23mSachin Yadav (IND) - PB and SB: 85.16mRohit Yadav (IND) - PB: 83.41m | SB: 80.47mSahil Silwal (IND) - PB: 81.81m | SB: 77.84mYash Vir Singh (IND) - PB and SB: 82.57mOverseas StarsadvertisementThomas Rhler (GER) - PB 93.90m | SB: 80.79mJulius Yego (KEN) - PB 92.72m | SB: 83.08mCyprian Mrzygld (POL) - PB and SB: 85.92mLuiz Maurcio da Silva (BRA) - PB and SB: 86.62mCurtis Thompson (USA) - PB and SB: 87.76mMartin Konecn (CZE) - PB and SB: 80.59mRumesh Pathirage (SRI) - PB and SB: 85.45mNC CLASSIC: WHO'S THE FAVOURITE TO WIN?Neeraj NC Classic will be Neeraj's sixth meeting of 2025. He heads into the competition off the back of wins at the Paris Diamond League (88.16m) and Ostrava Golden Spike (85.29m) in breached the 90m mark for the first time in his career earlier this year at the Doha Diamond League. He holds the second-best throw of the season (90.23m). Only Julian Weber of Germany has thrown farther-91.06m in Doha this guards Yego and Rhler will also be in the out for Curtis and Rumesh, who can produce a big 85m-plus throw. Sachin will also be licking his lips to make a mark and become a household speaking to on Friday, said the weather in Bengaluru-pleasant as always-might be good for a big 90m loading from Neeraj?WHERE WILL THE NC CLASSIC BE HELD?Bengaluru's iconic Sree Kanteerava Stadium, the home of Bengaluru FC, will host the NC Classic. The event was initially scheduled to be held in Neeraj's home state of Haryana but had to be moved out due to logistical a look at how the venue looked on the eve of the meet. There is ticketed entry to the AND WHERE TO WATCH THE NC CLASSIC?The NC Classic will get underway at 7 PM IST on Sports and JioCinema will provide TV and live streaming coverage in India. It will also be streamed on the World Athletics website. You can follow updates at: EndsMust Watch
