'A Matter Of Time' Till I Cross The 90m Mark Again, Says Neeraj Chopra After Paris DL Win

Neeraj Chopra might not have needed to cross the 90m mark to win at the Paris Diamond League last night, but that doesn’t mean he’s not pushing himself and preparing for future competitions.

Chopra topped the Paris leg of the Diamond League 2025 on Saturday, edging out Germany’s Julian Weber in the French capital.

Chopra’s throw of 88.16m helped him surpass Weber, who came second with a best effort of 87.88m. Mauricio Luiz da Silva finished third with an attempt of 86.62m.

India’s star javelin thrower stated he needs to work harder on his core muscles and strengthen his body to consistently achieve 90-plus distances in international competitions.

“Yes, I need more control when I throw, particularly during the attack. We are working on it in training, but there are many things we need to change. Perhaps a stronger core and body for throwing," said Neeraj, 27, after winning the title in a star-studded field that included five throwers from the coveted 90m club.

In a sport like javelin, core muscles help generate and transfer power from the lower body to the upper body, ultimately impacting the throwing distance and accuracy.

Chopra said it is only a matter of time before he finds consistency and meets the expectations of his fans.

“It’s just a matter of time and rhythm… getting more and more competitions."

The ace athlete mentioned he was happy with his run-up, but needs to improve the timing of his throw.

“…like timing, because I feel really good in the run-up, but the timing was not so good when I threw. I went quickly left and it was not good. I need to throw to the front, like with the chest, and go up with the javelin. We are working on it," Chopra said.

Chopra, who is currently coached by legendary javelin thrower Jan Zelezný, is looking forward to the Ostrava Golden Spike athletic meet on June 24, and said the four days in between will give him time to recover.

The Indian has a packed schedule with upcoming competitions, including the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, which is a World Athletics category A event.

“I will compete in Ostrava after four days on June 24. So, yes, I need some recovery. I’m very excited about the Neeraj Chopra Classic as well. It’s something I feel I did for my country and people are supporting it."

After falling short to Weber at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial earlier this year, Chopra got his revenge in Paris, storming out of the gates strong and riding his opening attempt to clinch the top spot. This win marked his first major triumph of the year, finishing ahead of his German rival.

(with PTI inputs)