Paris Diamond League: Neeraj Chopra aims for top spot after consecutive runner-up finishes

New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) After back-to-back second-place finishes this season, Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra will look to go one better when he takes the field in the Paris Diamond League at the Stade Sebastien Charlety in the early hours of Saturday (1:12 AM IST). 

This will be Chopra’s first appearance at the Paris Diamond League since 2017 when he finished fifth with a throw of 84.67m as a junior world champion. Eight years later, the stakes are higher, and the field significantly stronger. The Paris meet is the eighth stop on the 2025 Diamond League circuit, which will conclude with the two-day final in Zurich this August.

Chopra began his 2025 campaign with a win at the Potch Invitational in South Africa, throwing 84.52m. But it was in Doha that he truly made headlines, breaching the elusive 90m mark for the first time with a sensational 90.23m effort — a new Indian national record.

However, he was edged out by Germany’s Julian Weber, who registered a personal best of 91.06m. A week later, the rivalry continued in Poland’s Janusz Kusocinski Memorial, where Weber again pipped Chopra, this time with an 86.12m throw to Chopra’s 84.14m in tricky, wet conditions.

The Paris leg promises to be equally challenging. Chopra will once again face Julian Weber in what’s fast becoming one of the most exciting rivalries in athletics.

Also in the mix are some of the biggest names in javelin throw: Anderson Peters of Grenada, a two-time world champion and Paris 2024 bronze medallist with a personal best of 93.07m; Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, the 2012 Olympic gold medallist; Kenya’s Julius Yego; Moldova’s Andrian Mardare; and Brazil’s Luiz Maurício da Silva.

Five of the seven competitors have personal bests over 90m, highlighting the intense level of competition Chopra will face. Yet, with form, fitness, and experience on his side, India’s premier track and field athlete will be aiming to convert his strong showings into a win — one that could set the tone for the rest of his season, including a highly anticipated Diamond League Final.

When: Saturday, June 21 at 1:12 AM IST

Where: Stade Sebastien Charlety, Paris

Where to watch: Wanda Diamond League’s official YouTube channel. There will be no live TV telecast in the country.