Shivam Lohakare Smashes Neeraj Chopra's Javelin Throw Record; Olympian Lauds Youngster

Last Updated:September 08, 2025, 15:51 IST

Lohakare, age 20, broke Neeraj Chopra’s Services javelin record with an 84.31m throw at the 74th Inter Services Athletics Championship 2025, earning praise from Chopra himself.

Shivam Lokhare ousted a long-standing record set by none other than Chopra himself (Credit: X)

India’s javelin scene is buzzing once again, and this time the spotlight has shifted to 20-year-old Shivam Lohakare.

The youngster produced a stunning throw of 84.31m at the 74th Inter Services Athletics Championship 2025, breaking the Services record previously held by none other than his idol and reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra.

Lohakare’s mark eclipsed Chopra’s 2018 effort of 83.80m, but the performance, though, is not eligible for official World Athletics recognition due to the event’s non-certified status.

But in a moment of sheer excitement, Neeraj Chopra himself took notice, with the two-time Olympic champion sharing a congratulatory message on Instagram:

Consistency on the Rise

The young javelin thrower has been in scintillating form throughout 2025. His record throw in Rajgir marked the fourth consecutive time he crossed the 80m barrier this season. A month earlier, at the Indian Open Athletics Meet in Pune, Lohakare had registered a then-personal best of 80.95m.

He followed that up with a silver medal at the Indian Open in Bhubaneswar – a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze event – where he produced a best throw of 80.73m in his maiden senior international outing.

Walking in Neeraj’s Footsteps

An 80m throw, once a rare landmark, has now been achieved by 16 Indian athletes, with eight of them crossing the milestone in just the last three years.

At 20 though, Lohakare is the second-youngest Indian ever to cross 80m, behind Neeraj Chopra, who first breached the mark as an 18-year-old before going on to win Olympic gold in Tokyo.

For Chopra, who remains India’s global standard-bearer, Lohakare’s breakthrough is further proof of the sport’s growing depth in the subcontinent.

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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News sports Shivam Lohakare Smashes Neeraj Chopra's Javelin Throw Record; Olympian Lauds Youngster

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