Two-time Olympic medallist in javelin throw, Neeraj Chopra, began his 2025 season with a strong performance, winning the Potch Invitational Track event in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
The Potch Invitational is a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger event held in Potchefstroom, South Africa. This meet attracts top international athletes, providing a competitive platform for early-season performances.
Competing in the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger event, Chopra topped the six-man field with a throw of 84.52m. The Indian athlete's effort was enough to secure the win ahead of 25-year-old South African Douw Smit, whose best throw was 82.44m.
However, Chopra's performance fell short of his personal best of 89.94m, while Smit came close to his best of 83.29m. The duo were the only two athletes in the competition to cross the 80m mark. South Africa's Duncan Robertson finished third with a throw of 71.22m.
Chopra, who has been training in Potchefstroom under new coach Jan Zelezny, a three-time Olympic champion and world record holder from the Czech Republic, is continuing his preparations for the upcoming season. The 27-year-old javelin star parted ways with his long-time German coach Klaus Bartonietz last year.
Chopra’s elite-level season is set to kick off at the Doha Diamond League on 16 May. Having won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and silver at the 2024 Paris Games, Chopra is aiming to break his personal best and reach the 90m mark, which he has been striving for since 2022.
Chopra's recent performances
2024 Season Highlights
- Paris 2024 Olympics (Silver Medalist): Chopra clinched the silver medal with a throw of 89.45m, narrowly missing out on gold to Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, who set a new Olympic record with a 92.97m throw.
- Federation Cup 2024 (Gold Medalist): Competing in India for the first time in over three years, Chopra won gold with a throw of 82.27m, edging out DP Manu, who threw 82.06m.
- Doha Diamond League 2024 (Second Place): Chopra finished second with a throw of 88.36m, showcasing consistent form early in the season.
- Lausanne Diamond League 2024 (Second Place): Achieved his second-best career throw of 89.49m, again securing second place.
- Brussels Diamond League 2024 (Second Place): Concluded the season with another second-place finish, maintaining high performance throughout the year.
Coaching update
In late 2024, Chopra appointed Czech legend Jan Zelezny, a three-time Olympic champion and world record holder, as his coach. This collaboration began with a training camp in Potchefstroom, aiming to refine Chopra's technique and help him achieve his goal of surpassing the 90m mark.
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