Neeraj Chopra Wins Paris Diamond League with 88.16m Throw, Claims First Major Title of 2025
Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra secured his first major victory of 2025 on Friday by winning the Paris Diamond League with a commanding opening throw of 88.16 metres. Although the much-anticipated 90m barrier remained untouched, Chopra’s early effort was enough to seal the title ahead of Germany’s Julian Weber and Brazil’s Mauricio da Silva.
The prestigious meet in the French capital saw intense competition, with Weber—who had previously outperformed Chopra in Doha and at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland—keeping up pressure through all six rounds. But Neeraj’s first attempt remained unbeaten, giving him his fifth Diamond League title and his first since Lausanne in 2023.
Chopra, 26, was making his return to the Paris Diamond League after eight years, having last competed at the event as a junior world champion in 2017. He began the contest with authority, launching an 88.16m throw in his very first attempt, setting a high bar for the field. He followed it up with an 85.10m effort before fouling in his next three tries. His final throw reached 82.89m.
Weber’s best came in his second round at 86.20m, but he could not go further in later attempts. Meanwhile, Brazil’s Mauricio Luiz da Silva stunned the field by setting a new continental record with a throw of 86.20m, pushing Olympic medallist Keshorn Walcott off the podium to finish third.
As weather conditions shifted mid-event, with temperatures dropping, many athletes struggled to adjust, further elevating the value of Chopra’s opening throw. The performance came as a crucial confidence boost for the Indian athlete ahead of a packed season that includes the Paris Olympics later this year.
Chopra will now head to the Czech Republic for the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava on June 24. He is also scheduled to compete in the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic on July 4.
Neeraj’s victory reinforces his consistent form and solidifies his place among the world’s top javelin throwers. His focus now shifts to breaking the elusive 90m mark and defending his Olympic crown later in the year.
