'Neeraj Performs When He Really Has To': World Atheltics VP Backs Indian Ace To Shine At Worlds

Last Updated:August 30, 2025, 15:19 IST

Sumariwalla backs Neeraj Chopra for World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after his Diamond League runner-up finish, predicting a strong duel with Julian Weber.

Neeraj Chopra at NC Classic (PTI)

World Athletics Vice President Adille Sumariwalla has expressed confidence that India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will rise to the occasion at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, despite a second-place finish at the Diamond League Finals in Zurich.

The 27-year-old two-time Olympic medallist managed a best throw of 85.01m on Thursday, which was enough for runner-up but not his strongest outing. This marked Chopra’s third consecutive second-place finish in the Diamond League Finals, after claiming the prestigious trophy in 2022 and finishing second in both 2023 and 2024.

Germany’s Julian Weber produced the performance of his career, clinching his maiden Diamond League Trophy with a personal-best throw of 91.57m — the world-leading mark this season. He followed it up with another mammoth attempt of 91.37m, making the seven-man final largely a one-man contest.

“Neeraj performs when he really has to"

Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference for the International Association of Ultrarunners 50K World Championship, Sumariwalla dismissed concerns over Chopra’s form, insisting the Indian ace is primed for Tokyo.

“I think he (Neeraj) is ok. Neeraj performs when he really has to perform. 85-86m is not bad at all. He won the Olympics with the same distance. We just got so used to Neeraj winning that we forget that it’s a sport — and javelin is a dicey sport," Sumariwalla told PTI Videos.

He added that the World Championships, scheduled from September 13–21, will provide a compelling duel between Chopra and Weber.

“Weber is throwing very well at the moment. Weber has got all his things right, so he is throwing well. It will be a good fight between them in Tokyo," he said.

India’s medal hopes in Tokyo

Looking beyond Chopra, Sumariwalla — a former president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and now its spokesperson — predicted that India would surpass its performances from last year’s World Championships.

“I think we will do better than last year, we will have more finalists," he noted, suggesting that India’s athletics contingent has matured and gained crucial international exposure over the past two seasons.

Road to Los Angeles 2028

Sumariwalla also emphasized that while next year’s Asian Games and Commonwealth Games will be important, they should be viewed as part of the longer preparation cycle leading to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which he described as the ultimate benchmark.

“Next year, Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games will only be stepping stones, but the real performance we will see is in the LA Olympics in 2028," he remarked.

(with PTI inputs) 

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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First Published:

August 30, 2025, 15:19 IST

News sports 'Neeraj Performs When He Really Has To': World Atheltics VP Backs Indian Ace To Shine At Worlds

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