No 90m but Neeraj Chopra wins Paris Diamond League for first major crown of 2025-OxBig News Network

There was no 90-metre magic but Neeraj Chopra claimed his first title of the 2025 season with a win at the Paris Diamond League on Friday, June 20. Neeraj secured the win with his first attempt of 88.16 m as it was enough to keep Julian Weber’s challenge at bay. Neeraj could only get three valid throws on the night but it was enough in the end to claim the win.

Weber had got the better of Neeraj in Doha, where the Indian ace finally broke his 90m jinx, and then at the at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland last month. This was Neeraj’s first win in a Diamond League event after Lausanne 2023 and his fifth one overall, which also includes a final win in Zurich in 2022.

Neeraj was returning to Paris for the first time in eight years for a Diamond League with his last appearance coming as a junior world champion and finishing fifth. The Indian ace seemed to be intent on making up for lost time and started off in fine form and set the marker with an 88.16 m throw with his very first attempt.

Paris Diamond League: Highlights

All eyes were then on Weber, who didn’t disappoint and kept the pressure on Neeraj throughout the six attempts. Keshorn Walcott had trumped Anderson Peters to round off the top three, but it seemed like the contest would boil down to Neeraj and Weber.

The second attempt from Neeraj was also a good one as he got a throw of 85.10 m as Weber wasn’t able to better his first attempt and landed 86.20 m. After this, the Indian ace struggled to find rhythm as he committed a hat-trick of foul throws. However, Weber wasn’t able to cross the mark set by Neeraj early. Walcott’s hold of the third spot slipped as Mauricio Luiz da Silva broke the continental record with an 86.20 m throw and made it to the top three.

As the weather conditions at the venue started to change, with the temperature dropping, the throws started to get a little tough for the rest of the pack. Weber continued to keep the Indian ace on the toes till the final attempt as the fans certainly had flashback from Doha earlier this year.

Neeraj landed 82.89 m in his final attempt as Weber could only muster up 81.08. Da Silva finished third to round off the podium places.

Neeraj Chopra’s Diamond League wins

• Lausanne 2022
• Diamond League Final 2022
• Doha 2023
• Lausanne 2023
• Paris 2025

Neeraj will now compete at the Golden Spike athletics meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic on June 24. After this, he will be seen in action in the inaugural Neeraj Chopra classic on July 4, which the Indian star will now to enter with a title already in his bag.