Neeraj Chopra Breaks 90m Barrier In Doha Diamond League, Scripts First For India

Neeraj Chopra made history at the 2025 Doha Diamond League, throwing a personal best of 90.23m, becoming the third Asian and 25th global athlete to surpass 90m in javelin.

File Photo of javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra

Source : PTI

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra created history at the 2025 Doha Diamond League on Friday by breaching the coveted 90-metre mark for the first time in his career. With a sensational throw of 90.23 metres on his third attempt, Chopra became the 25th athlete globally—and the third Asian ever—to cross the 90m milestone in the men’s javelin throw.

Chopra, whose season-best before this event stood at 84.52 metres, stunned the athletics world with his performance. He opened with an 88.44m throw and followed it up with the historic 90.23m effort on his third attempt, setting a new personal record. This feat marks a monumental first for India in the sport.

Germany’s Julian Weber clinched the top spot with an impressive throw of 91.06 meters, narrowly edging out Chopra in a high-quality contest, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters came in third with 85.64m. Kishore Jena, India’s other representative, slipped to the eighth position.

Top 3 standings:
1. Julian Weber – 91.06m
 2. Neeraj Chopra – 90.23m
 3. Anderson Peters – 85.64m

Neeraj Chopra On 90m Barrier: 'Several Javelin Athletes Have Thrown Their Personal Best In Doha'

Speaking to Al Jazeera ahead of the competition, Chopra acknowledged the expectations from fans and the mental challenges associated with top-tier athletics. “Your fans have been willing you on to break the 90-metre barrier for some time now. Does that pressure get to you and do you think this will be the year to surpass 90m?” he was asked.

Chopra responded: “I feel reinvigorated and am in great shape physically. In addition to the physical aspect, Zelezny has also passed on tips that help me deal with the mental part of being an athlete. It helps keep the pressure at bay. I have been training and performing consistently, which forms the basis of achieving the best results on the field. No one can predict what will happen on the day of the competition but I am always looking to go beyond my previous best.”

Reflecting on the conditions in Doha, he added, “Several javelin athletes have thrown their personal best in Doha and I aim to do the same on Friday.”

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