Bengaluru, July 6 (H.S.):

Neeraj Chopra, India's star javelin thrower and Olympic champion, clinched the NC Classic 2025 title at the Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday. He achieved a best throw of 86.18 meters, marking a significant moment as it was the first World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Level event held in India, featuring 12 participants, including 7 international athletes.

After starting with a foul throw, Neeraj's second attempt reached 82.99 meters. His winning throw of 86.18 meters came in the third round, followed by throws of 84.07 meters and 82.22 meters. Kenya's Julius Yego secured the silver medal with a throw of 84.51 meters, while Sri Lanka's Ramesh Pathirage took third with 84.34 meters. India's Sachin Yadav finished fourth with 82.33 meters.Notably, Germany's Olympic gold medalist Thomas Rohler placed 11th with a throw of 75.85 meters.

The event was organized by Neeraj in collaboration with JSW Sports, AFI, and World Athletics, with a focus on inspiring the youth of India in athletics. Neeraj described the NC Classic as a dream aimed at promoting athletics nationally.

After the competition, he said, The NC Classic is not just an event for me, but a dream. I want the youth of India to represent the country on the global stage in track and field.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar