Neeraj Chopra records 84.52m throw to secure gold at NWU Potch Invitational

Star Indian javelin thrower and two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has started his new season on a high as he secured the gold medal at the NWU Potch Invitational in South Africa on Thursday with a brilliant 84.52m throw. Neeraj’s top effort was enough to place him ahead of South Africa’s Douw Smit (82.44m) and Duncan Robertson (71.22m). The event marked Neeraj’s first competition of 2025 and served as a tune-up ahead of his participation in more high-profile meets later in the season.

 

Watch video of Neeraj’s throw in South Africa 

 

Diamond League up next in Doha 

Neeraj’s next major assignment will be the Doha Diamond League, scheduled exactly a month from now. Doha has often been a key stop in the global athletics calendar and will likely feature a high-quality field of throwers. The meet will provide Neeraj a more competitive environment to test his form under pressure.

 

India’s best throw of the year so far 

Chopra’s 84.52m throw has now overtaken the previous Indian best for 2025, which belonged to Sachin Yadav, who had thrown 84.39m earlier this year. Rohit Yadav, another national contender, is listed with a best of 80.47m in the World Athletics toplist for the season. Neeraj’s strong start adds momentum to what is expected to be a packed and competitive year for Indian javelin.

 

New coach, new season: Jan Zelezny steps in 

The 2025 season also marks a coaching transition for Chopra. After a successful partnership with Klaus Bartonietz, which yielded Olympic gold (Tokyo), silver (Paris), and medals at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships, Neeraj has now teamed up with Jan Zelezny — the javelin world record holder and a legend of the sport.

 

Zelezny brings a wealth of experience to the table, having coached Czech throwers who famously finished behind Neeraj at the Tokyo Games. This new collaboration is being closely watched as India’s biggest track and field star gears up for another potentially historic season.