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First Post
07-07-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Neeraj Chopra Classic first impressions: '15,000 people came to cheer', former Olympic and world champions react
Thomas Rohler and Julius Yego, two of the biggest athletes other than Neeraj Chopra himself who took part in the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 in Bengaluru, share their first impressions of the historic event in India. read more The top athletes including former Olympic and world champions who flew down to India on Neeraj Chopra's request for India's first-ever World Athletics Continental Tour Gold-Level event in Bengaluru left the country highly impressed, feeling loved and asking for more. The inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 at the Sri Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru on 5 July was a watershed moment for Indian athletics in many ways. The one-day javelin throw event, named after the two-time Olympic medallist and co-organiser Neeraj, witnessed a massive outpouring of love from locals as 14,593 fans turned up to the stadium – an unbelievable statistic for an athletics event in the country. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They were greeted by some thrilling javelin throw action as 2023 world champion, Neeraj clinched the top spot with a strong 86.18m throw in difficult windy conditions. Kenya's Julius Yego, the 2015 world champion and Rio Games silver medallist, came second with an 84.51m throw and Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage took the third spot with a best effort of 84.34m. Also Read | Bengaluru witnesses home champion Neeraj's class and rare athletics celebration 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Rohler of Germany, one of the biggest names in the 12-man field, had a tough night, finishing 11th with a best attempt of 75.85m. Rohler, Yego praise Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 That, however, didn't spoil his mood as he was happy to see thousands of fans on the ground. 'I think we all need to be thankful for the work and the power that Neeraj put into this event. We've seen how much joy all these people had in the stadium,' Rohler, who has struggled with back injuries over the years, said. 'I mean, we were seeing one event today, not the whole track and field, just javelin. And there were almost 15,000 people coming to cheer for sticks flying far. That is a beautiful thing.' Asked about what would be his recommendation regarding the event to other European athletes, Rohler said: 'The experience was very good. I think that the competition, the friendship that we had, we sat together, Olympic champions at one table, had Indian food together. It was just the overall experience. Thank you guys.' Thomas Rohler praised Neeraj Chopra for making the event possible. Image: Reuters Yego, silver medallist in the 2016 Summer Games, felt that after a successful start, more events could be added to the NC Classic in the next edition. 'The organisation was really nice. I enjoyed every bit of this competition. The accommodation, the hotel, everything was really nice, you know, the security. Maybe next year if possible we can have maybe two events or three events. It's fine because I've seen India doing so many in the long jump, in the triple jump. So we can have the same events going at the same time,' Yego, known as 'Mr YouTube' for learning the sport by watching videos, said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I've enjoyed it, I love the fans. Every other time on my Instagram I get a lot of messages from the Indians. They really cheer me and sometimes I tell them, you have your own champion who is doing so well and I say, yeah, we want you to push him and today I tried to push him.'
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 Live Updates: Another 90m on the cards? Bengaluru hosts star-studded NC Classic
Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 Live: India is set to witness a landmark sporting moment on Saturday, July 5, as double Olympic medallist and World Champion Neeraj Chopra headlines the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, a prestigious World Athletics Continental Tour Gold-Level event. Held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, this meet marks the first time India is hosting an international track and field event of such stature, placing it on the same global map as cities like Doha, Paris, and Nairobi. The meet is co-organised by Neeraj Chopra himself, alongside JSW Sports, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), and World Athletics. More than just a sporting contest, it's a celebration of Indian athletics entering a new era of global recognition. "It feels great that such an event is happening in India and that such good athletes have come here to compete together. I am very excited for this event. Organising and playing together is tough. I have always focused on playing, but now I have to take care of everything. As an organiser, I have to think about all these small things. I like it. Thank you to the Karnataka Government and everyone supporting us. A big thank you to the JSW team for their support--they are working very hard with us," Neeraj Chopra said ahead of the event. The spotlight event of the evening is, of course, the men's javelin throw, starting at 7:00 PM IST, where Neeraj will take on some of the world's finest. The lineup features Olympic champion Thomas Röhler (Germany), former world champion Julius Yego (Kenya), and top competitors like Curtis Thompson (USA) and Cyprian Mrzyglód (Poland). The Indian contingent is equally strong with Rohit Yadav, Sachin Yadav, Sahil Silwal, and Yash Vir Singh in action. The NC Classic is crucial for Neeraj as he builds momentum toward the World Championships in Tokyo. He enters the meet on a two-event winning streak, including a stunning national record of 90.23m set in Doha. The event promises much more than elite sport. There will be pre-event music performances, headlined by Haryanvi rapper Dhanda Nyoliwala, and a special felicitation for Jan Zelezny, Neeraj's coach and the javelin world record holder. Chopra's family will also be present, adding a personal touch to what is already a historic occasion.
