It was a “bittersweet” moment for Neeraj Chopra at the Doha Diamond League, where the Indian javelin ace finally broke the much-anticipated 90-metre barrier but had to settle for a second-place finish. The 27-year-old, who has been dealing with a lingering groin injury in recent years, appeared in excellent shape as he hurled the javelin to a personal best of 90.23m on his third attempt. This throw made Chopra only the third Asian and the 25th athlete ever to cross the 90m mark — an elite list headed by his coach, Czech great Jan Železný.
But the night ultimately belonged to Germany’s Julian Weber, who snatched victory in dramatic fashion with a final-round throw of 91.06m, overtaking Chopra’s lead and relegating the Indian Olympic champion to second place.
Neeraj Chopra, after breaching the long-awaited 90-metre mark with a personal best of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League, described the moment as “just the beginning” and voiced optimism for greater achievements this season. Despite finishing second to Germany’s Julian Weber—who clinched victory with a dramatic final throw of 91.06m—Chopra remained upbeat, celebrating his entry into the elite 90m club.
The competition, held on May 16, 2025, at Doha’s Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium, proved to be a mixed bag for the 27-year-old Indian Olympic champion. Having dealt with a persistent groin injury over recent years, Chopra appeared in fine rhythm, achieving his best on the third attempt. His throw made him only the third Asian and 25th athlete globally to surpass the 90m mark, joining a prestigious group led by his coach and javelin legend Jan Železný.
Although Weber’s last-round heroics edged Chopra into second place, Chopra expressed satisfaction with his progress. Now feeling close to peak fitness, he is focusing on refining his technique under Železný’s guidance, a partnership that began formally in November and gained momentum from February onwards.
“I’m really pleased to have crossed the 90m mark, though it feels a bit bittersweet,” Neeraj Chopra told TOI. “But that’s okay—my coach and I are still fine-tuning certain elements of my technique. We only began working together in February, so I’m still in the learning phase.”
“In the past few years, I’ve constantly felt discomfort in my groin, which held me back from performing at my best,” Chopra said. “But this year, I’m feeling much better physically. We’ll continue working on certain areas of my technique, and I’m confident I can go beyond the 90m mark in the upcoming competitions leading up to the World Championships.” The World Championships will be held in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.