Neeraj Chopra Wins Paris Diamond League Title With 88.16m Throw
Neeraj Chopra won the Paris Diamond League with a first-round throw of 88.16m, beating Julian Weber. It’s his first DL title since 2023 and a strong boost ahead of the Olympics
Paris: India’s Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra clinched his first Diamond League title in two years with a dominant 88.16m throw at the Paris leg of the prestigious athletics series on Friday night.
The 27-year-old launched his winning throw in the first round, and despite three fouls and a best of 82.89m in the final round, it was enough to outshine a field packed with elite javelin talent—including five members of the coveted 90m club.
Germany’s Julian Weber finished second with 87.88m, while Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva was third with 86.62m.
“My run-up was really fast today. I can’t control the speed much, but I’m happy with the result and to be back on top,” Chopra told the official broadcaster.
This was Chopra’s first victory in the Paris Diamond League, and his first overall since Lausanne 2023, where he had won with a throw of 87.66m. He had since registered six second-place finishes.
Recent Form and Upcoming Events:
Chopra, who breached the 90m mark in Doha earlier this season (90.23m), is now eyeing consistent big throws heading into the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on July 5 and the Golden Spike Meet in Ostrava on June 24.
“Now that I’ve crossed 90m, I believe I can do it again—but a lot depends on conditions and body rhythm,” he added.
Julian Weber had defeated Chopra earlier this season at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial meet in Poland, while in Paris, he settled for second despite a strong start.
Other big names like Julius Yego, Keshorn Walcott, and Anderson Peters—all former 90m+ throwers—finished outside the top three with sub-82m efforts.
Chopra began his 2025 season with a win in Potchefstroom (South Africa), and Friday’s win firmly re-establishes him as one of the top contenders for the upcoming Olympics.
