Double Olympics medallist Neeraj Chopra has started the 2025 season on a high with a gold medal-winning performance in his very first event.
Two-time Olympic medal-winning javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra started his season on a high by winning the Potch Invitational Track event in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Neeraj topped the six-man field, hurling the spear to a distance of 84.52m at the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger event on Wednesday.
The Indian star finished ahead of 25-year-old South African Douw Smit, whose best throw was 82.44m But Chopra’s effort was below his personal best of 89.94m, while Douw came close to his personal best of 83.29m.
WATCH Neeraj Chopra’s gold-medal winning throw HERE…
NEERAJ CHOPRA IS BACK ON THE FIELD 🚀
Champion Neeraj Chopra starts the 2025 season with a throw of 84.52m at the NWU Potch Invitational in Potchefstroom, South Africa 🇿🇦
pic.twitter.com/nzQEia8OWd— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) April 17, 2025
Neeraj Chopra and Smit were the only two athletes to cross the 80m mark in the competition. Another South African Duncan Robertson finished third with an effort of 71.22m.
Chopra has been training in Potchefstroom under his new coach Jan Zelezny of Czech Republic, who is a three-time Olympic champion and the world record holder. The 27-year-old parted ways with his long-time German coach Klaus Bartonietz last year.
Chopra is scheduled to begin his elite-level campaign at the Doha Diamond League on May 16. He won back-to-back Olympics medals in the 2020 Tokyo (gold) and 2024 Paris Games (silver). His personal best of 89.94m was achieved in 2022 and he has been trying to breach the 90m mark for considerable time.
This was the first major event in which Neeraj Chopra is taking part after his marriage to Himani Mor earlier this year. Neeraj and Himani knew each other from before and their friendship culminated into marriage.
“I knew her. She also comes from a family with a sports background, and so do we. Her father and mother were kabaddi players. Her brothers were boxers and wrestlers. She herself was a tennis player, but after picking up injuries, she focused more on her studies.
“Because our families had a sports background, we had the opportunity to meet. Our conversations began like that—just two athletes talking. It was casual at first, but slowly, we fell in love,” Neeraj is quoted as saying by Sports Tak.
The wedding took place at the SuryaVilas Resort in Kumarhatti, near Solan, on the Kalka-Shimla Highway. It was an small and intimate affair, with only 40–50 guests, comprising close family members from both sides.
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