Neeraj Chopra Set for Paris Diamond League Return After 8 Years: Indian Javelin Star Eyes Momentum after Olympic Season
India’s golden boy of athletics, Neeraj Chopra, is all set to compete at the Paris Diamond League 2025 on June 20 at the Stade Sébastien-Charléty, marking his return to this meet after an eight-year gap. The reigning world javelin champion has had a strong start to his 2025 campaign and will be aiming to build further momentum as he prepares for a packed summer that leads toward the Diamond League Final and the broader road to Los Angeles 2028.
Return to Paris After 8 Years
Neeraj Chopra’s last appearance at the Paris Diamond League was back in 2017, when the then-rising Indian thrower finished fifth with a best of 84.67m, while Germany’s Johannes Vetter clinched top honours with an 88.74m throw. Chopra was set to compete in the 2024 edition but strategically withdrew to focus on his Olympic preparations.
Now, with the Paris 2024 Games behind him and his confidence reinforced by consistently elite performances, the 27-year-old will return to the French capital not only as an Olympic champion but also as the current world champion—titles that have elevated his stature to global prominence.
Stellar Start to 2025 Season
Neeraj Chopra began his 2025 campaign in dominant fashion. At the Potch Invitational Meet in South Africa this April, he opened the season with a strong throw of 84.52m, comfortably taking the top spot. He followed that with a career-defining performance at the Doha Diamond League in May, where he broke his own national record with a monster throw of 90.23m, improving on his previous best of 89.94m set at the 2022 Stockholm Diamond League.
Despite the historic effort, Chopra had to settle for second place in Doha, narrowly edged out by Germany’s Julian Weber, who launched his javelin to a remarkable 91.06m, the current world lead.
Close Contest in Poland
Neeraj’s most recent competition was at the Janusz Kusociński Memorial in Chorzów, Poland, held on May 23. Despite battling slippery and wet conditions, Chopra delivered a best throw of 84.14m on his final attempt, again finishing second to Julian Weber, who registered 86.12m to top the standings.
The head-to-head between Chopra and Weber is quickly emerging as one of the defining rivalries in javelin throw in recent years, and the Paris Diamond League is expected to be another thrilling chapter in that duel.
Eye on Diamond League Final
The Diamond League 2025 Final, scheduled for August 27–28 in Zurich, will feature the top point-scorers from across the season’s circuit. Chopra’s strong start, including the runner-up finish in Doha and a likely podium finish in Paris, puts him in a strong position to qualify for the finals. Having already won the Diamond League Trophy in 2022, Neeraj will be hungry to reclaim the crown and assert his dominance.
With each performance, Chopra has shown he belongs at the pinnacle of global athletics, consistently throwing beyond 85 metres and now pushing into the 90-metre elite club—a feat achieved by only a handful of throwers in history.
Busy Calendar Ahead
Neeraj Chopra’s schedule is packed in the lead-up to the Diamond League Final. After his Paris appearance on June 20, he is on the entry list for the Golden Spike Meet in Ostrava, Czechia, set to take place on June 24. Following that, he will return home to headline the inaugural edition of the “Neeraj Chopra Classic” in Bengaluru on July 5, a landmark event for Indian athletics that underscores his stature as the country’s biggest track and field icon.
Each meet will provide him valuable competitive exposure while giving fans a front-row seat to his growing legacy.
In Pursuit of Consistency and Dominance
While Chopra has repeatedly shown his capacity to throw well above the 85-metre mark, 2025 marks a critical season in solidifying his place as not just a one-off Olympic winner but a consistent force in world javelin. His body appears to be holding up well, especially after past concerns about groin niggles, and his form has been trending upward through each outing this year.
Moreover, with tough competition from the likes of Weber and others like Jakub Vadlejch, Chopra will be looking to deliver a performance in Paris that is both technically sound and mentally commanding—especially given the symbolic significance of returning to the French capital where he had made a quiet debut on the Diamond League stage eight years ago.
A Symbol of India’s Sporting Rise
Beyond his medals, records, and throw distances, Neeraj Chopra carries the expectations of a nation eager to become a sustained force in global athletics. He’s done more than any Indian athlete before him to put the spotlight on javelin throw and Indian track and field as a whole.
As he readies to take centre stage in Paris once more, Chopra is not just chasing medals—he is continuing to inspire a generation.
Mark the Date: June 20, Stade Sébastien-Charléty, Paris
The world champion is back where it all began. And this time, he’s here to win.
