Neeraj Chopra On NC Classic: 'My Dream Of Giving Back To My Country Came...'

Last Updated:July 08, 2025, 21:55 IST

Neeraj Chopra won the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic with a throw of 86.18m at Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

Neeraj Chopra at NC Classic (PTI)

Neeraj Chopra, the Golden Boy of Indian athletics, has shared that he has always dreamt of giving back to his country for its relentless support in his pursuit of gold. He believes he has realised this dream with the Neeraj Chopra Classic.

The 27-year-old won the inaugural edition of the Neeraj Chopra Classic, a World Athletics gold-level event, with a best throw of 86.18m at Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday.

“I have many to thank – from friends and family to officials and organisations. But for now, I’ll keep it simple. Giving back to my country was a small dream of mine that came to life with the Neeraj Chopra Classic.

“Winning it was special, but even more special was the process of putting it together."

“I want to say a big thank you to everyone who played their part in making this possible. To the athletes who came from far, we’ll try to do one better next time. And to everyone that turned up at the Kanteerava – this was honestly one of the best atmospheres I’ve experienced while doing what I love the most," read the post by the two-time Olympic medallist.

What Happened At Neeraj Chopra Classic?

Kenya’s Julius Yego finished second after notching up his season-best throw of 84.51m, while Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage came third with a best throw of 84.34m.

Chopra, welcomed by 14,593 spectators with thunderous roars and cheers, began with a foul but took the lead with his second attempt of 82.99m. He then thrilled the Bengaluru crowd with the biggest throw of the night at 86.16m on his third attempt. He followed it up with a foul in the fourth attempt, an 84.07m throw in the fifth, and rounded off the event with an 82.22m throw.

Chopra began his season by winning the Potch Invitational Meet in Potchefstroom, South Africa, in April before finishing second at the Doha Diamond League, where he breached the elusive 90m mark with a 90.23m throw to reset the Indian national record. He then finished second again at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland, followed by a win at the Paris Diamond League meet last week, claiming the top spot with an 88.16m throw and Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 athletics with an 85.29m throw.

(With inputs from IANS)

Ritayan Basu

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha...Read More

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha...

Read More

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News sports Neeraj Chopra On NC Classic: 'My Dream Of Giving Back To My Country Came...'