05-07-2025
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.
