Neeraj Chopra launched his 2025 season in style, clinching the Paris Diamond League title on June 20, despite falling short of the coveted 90-metre mark. The Indian javelin star sealed victory with an opening throw of 88.16m, holding off a strong challenge from Germany’s Julian Weber, according to reports from the event. Though Neeraj managed only three valid throws, his early effort proved sufficient to secure his first Diamond League win since Lausanne in 2023 and his fifth overall, including the 2022 Zurich final.
Returning to Paris for a Diamond League event after an eight-year gap his last appearance there was as a junior world champion in 2017, where he placed fifth Neeraj wasted no time making an impact. His 88.16m opener set the tone, putting immediate pressure on Weber, who had previously outthrown Neeraj in Doha earlier this year, where Neeraj broke the 90m barrier, and at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland last month.
Weber kept the competition tight, responding with an 86.20m throw in his first attempt, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott initially held third. Neeraj’s second throw of 85.10m maintained his lead, but three consecutive fouls followed, leaving the door open for Weber. However, the German couldn’t surpass Neeraj’s mark. Brazil’s Mauricio Luiz da Silva surged into third with a continental record-breaking 86.20m, overtaking Walcott and Antigua’s Anderson Peters.
As temperatures dropped at the venue, affecting throw distances, Weber stayed in contention until the final round. Neeraj closed with an 82.89m effort, while Weber’s 81.08m fell short, confirming the Indian’s victory. Da Silva rounded out the podium in third.
Neeraj Chopra’s Diamond League Victories
- Lausanne 2022
- Diamond League Final 2022
- Doha 2023
- Lausanne 2023
- Paris 2025
Neeraj now heads to the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on June 24, followed by the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic on July 4, carrying the momentum of his Paris triumph.