Neeraj Chopra will be more than just the star attraction when the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic unfolds at Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium on July 5. The two-time Olympic medallist is not only competing in his trademark javelin event but has also played a central role in shaping what is now India’s highest-ranked annual athletics meet.
The 2025 edition is currently restricted to the men’s javelin throw, but Neeraj confirmed on Thursday that the meet could evolve into a multi-event competition in the future.
“The toughest part is the training. We get very little time to train. I competed in Paris and Ostrava and then travelled to Bengaluru, so I will try my level best. We also have to arrange everything together,” Chopra said during a felicitation function organised by the Karnataka Olympic Association.
The Neeraj Chopra Classic, which boasts a high-quality international field, comes just days after Chopra’s victories at the Paris Diamond League on 20 June and the Ostrava Golden Spike meet on 24 June.
“We also have to talk to all the athletes about how to make it better. But everything is going well. We will handle this and also compete. But the biggest goal is to make it (the event) bigger,” said Chopra, who also met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday.
The reigning world champion, aged 27, said Bengaluru was an ideal choice to host a competition of this scale.
“I am feeling very good. The way the preparations are going, I am very happy. I thank the sports department, Karnataka Olympic Association, Karnataka government for helping me to organise an event in such short notice.
“They helped me a lot. The biggest reason to do it in Bangalore is that it is a very good city. The weather is good.”
Chopra expressed hope that the meet would benefit Indian athletes by providing them with exposure to elite competition on home soil.
“As I said, we are going to add more events. So our Indian athletes who do well at the global level, will get a chance in India to compete among other good athletes. So, we intend to increase this event further,” he added.
The 12-man javelin field features seven international athletes and five Indians, including Chopra himself.
Among the foreign competitors are Germany’s 2016 Olympic gold medallist Thomas Rhler (PB: 93.90m), Kenya’s 2015 world champion Julius Yego (PB: 92.72m), Curtis Thompson of the USA (PB: 87.76m), Czech thrower Martin Konecny (PB: 80.59m), Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva (PB: 86.62m), Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage (PB: 85.45m), and Poland’s Cyprian Mrzyglod (PB: 85.92m).
The Indian contingent includes Rohit Yadav, Yashvir Singh, Sachin Yadav, and Sahil Silwal.
Chopra and several participants underwent a light training session at the Kanteerava Stadium on Thursday. Among the foreign athletes already in the city are Rhler, Thompson, and Konecny. Chopra’s coach and javelin world record holder Jan Zelezny has also arrived.