India’s Olympic and World Championships medallist, Neeraj Chopra, is set to host a world-class javelin competition under his name – the Neeraj Chopra Classic – on 24 May at Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium. Organised under the aegis of World Athletics, this event marks a significant step forward for Indian athletics, with Chopra’s long-time vision finally coming to life.
Originally scheduled to be held at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula, Haryana, the event had to be relocated due to infrastructure requirements, notably lighting specifications.
The stadium needed 600 lux lighting, which wasn’t feasible this year, so we’ve moved it to Bengaluru.
Chopra during a virtual press conference arranged by his sponsors, JSW explained
Originally scheduled to be held at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula, Haryana, the event had to be relocated due to infrastructure requirements, notably lighting specifications. “The stadium needed 600 lux lighting, which wasn’t feasible this year, so we’ve moved it to Bengaluru,” Chopra explained during a virtual press conference arranged by his sponsors, JSW.
The double Olympic medallist shared his excitement and sense of pride. “This has been a dream of mine since I started competing internationally. I used to wonder why such events couldn’t happen in India – now it’s finally happening. I was inspired by meets like the Mondo Classic named after Mondo Duplantis. My coach Jan Železný also supported the idea of having a meet in my name,” he said.
When I started out with no sports background, I never thought I’d represent India, let alone have an event named after me. Step by step, things improved. After the Olympics, I felt this could become a reality – and now it is.
Asked if he had ever imagined such a moment, Chopra smiled:
Some of the world’s leading javelin throwers have confirmed their participation, including:
• Anderson Peters, two-time World medallist and Olympic bronze medallist
• Thomas Röhler, Olympic and European champion
• Curtis Thompson of the USA, current world leader with an 87m throw
• A Brazilian Olympic finalist, whose name will be announced shortly
Chopra confirmed that around 3-4 Indian athletes will also compete, alongside a selection of elite European and international throwers. The event falls under the gold-level category, allowing athletes to earn crucial ranking points towards qualification for global competitions.
Yes, I’ve spoken to him. He’s discussing it with his coach and will let us know soon.
When asked whether Pakistani javelin star Arshad Nadeem had been invited, Chopra confirmed:
This year’s event will focus solely on men’s javelin due to scheduling clashes with the Diamond League event in Rabat on 25 May, which will prevent top women throwers from attending. However, Chopra is optimistic about the future. “We want to make it bigger each year – not just for javelin, but also other athletics events,” he said.
Looking further ahead, Chopra is clear about his ambition: to bring a Diamond League meet to India. “Now that the Nehru Stadium is ready, and with athletics gaining traction in India, hosting a Diamond League would help elevate the sport here. It’s a dream I’ll keep working towards,” he said.
Despite his packed training schedule, Chopra remains closely involved with the planning. “When the event was in Haryana, I was following up daily. Now that it's in Bengaluru, the JSW team is managing things on the ground. They’ve got the experience, especially with hosting Indian Super League matches,” he added.
And yes, the star attraction himself will be competing. “Of course, I’ll be there,” he said with a grin.