Doha, May 16, 2025 — India’s golden boy of athletics, Neeraj Chopra, shattered the 90m barrier in javelin for the first time in his career, recording a massive 90.23m throw at the Doha Diamond League 2025. With this, Chopra set a new national record and became the 25th athlete in history to breach the elite 90-meter mark in men’s javelin throw.
PM Modi Reacts to Neeraj’s Historic Achievement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his admiration: “A spectacular feat! Congratulations to Neeraj Chopra for breaching the 90m mark at Doha Diamond League 2025 and achieving his personal best throw. This is the outcome of his relentless dedication, discipline and passion. India is elated and proud.”
Chopra’s Performance: A Dream Realized
Starting the event with a strong 88.44m world-leading throw, Neeraj fouled on his second attempt. On his third attempt, he launched the javelin 90.23m — finally achieving a milestone that had eluded him despite multiple 89m+ throws in recent years. His previous best was 89.94m, set at the Stockholm Diamond League two years ago.
Julian Weber Snatches Gold with 91.06m
Despite Chopra’s record-breaking throw, Germany’s Julian Weber secured first place with a stunning personal best of 91.06m on his final attempt. “It is a little bittersweet,” Chopra said. “I am very happy for the 90m, but this second place — it has happened before too.”
Training Under Legend Jan Zelezny
Neeraj attributed his success in part to legendary coach Jan Zelezny, the world record holder (98.48m). “He told me that today is the day to achieve 90m,” said Neeraj. Zelezny’s presence in Doha was rare, but his confidence in Chopra paid off spectacularly.
Global & Asian Milestones
With his 90.23m throw, Chopra joins an elite club of javelin legends. He now holds the third-best throw by an Asian athlete, behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem (92.97m) and Chinese Taipei’s Chao-Tsun Cheng (91.36m).
Other Notables at the Event
2022 world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada came third with 85.64m. India’s Kishore Jena placed eighth with 78.60m in his second Diamond League appearance.
Looking Ahead
“This was just the first competition of the year,” said Chopra. “We both (Julian and I) broke 90m today, and I feel this is a big boost for future meets. I’m confident I will throw even farther next time.”
Related Reading
- Neeraj Chopra’s Olympic Journey: From Tokyo Gold to World Glory
- Top Indian Track and Field Athletes to Watch in 2025
- India’s Performance in Diamond League: Year-by-Year Breakdown
External Resources
Stay tuned as Neeraj gears up for more historic performances in the run-up to Paris 2026. India’s golden arm is just getting started.