Doha:

The Olympic medalist started on a high as he threw 88.44m in the first throw. With the throw, he also secured a spot in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo by clearing the qualification mark of 85.5 metres. Although his second attempt was foul, he registered a humongous 90.23 m throw in his third attempt.

Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finally breached the 90 m mark after he flirted with the mark in various competitions with some impressive throws. He crossed the barrier on Friday with a 90.23 m throw at the Doha Diamond League, registering his personal best. Also, he became the 25th man to cross the iconic barrier. The 27-year-old had been close to the special mark on several occasions.

Before his impressive throw at the 2025 Doha Diamond League, Neeraj’s personal best was 89.94m, which he achieved during the Stockholm Diamond League two years back. The 26-year-old grabbed the limelight after winning gold at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and followed it up with a silver in the Paris Games 2024.

The Indian javelin star looked to be heading for a win as none of the other competitors were able to cross 90m. But, German star Julian Weber gave his best in his final attempt and recorded a 91.06m throw. Weber snatched the victory as well as the world lead from Neeraj in his final attempt. Anderson Peters finished third with the best throw of 85.64m

Notably, Neeraj had roped in the coaching services of the world record holder in javelin throw, Jan Zelezny. He had a whopping 52 throws over 90m in his career, and that might have also helped Neeraj cross the mark.

Along with his podium finishes in the Olympics, Neeraj’s impressive portfolio also boasts two medals at the World Championships and the Asian Games. He has also won the Diamond League once.

Neeraj Chopra's best throws before today:

1. 89.94m Stockholm Diamond League 2022

2. 89.49m Lausanne Diamond League 2024

3. 89.45m Paris 2024 Olympics - F

4. 89.34m Paris 2024 Olympics - Q

5. 89.30m Paavo Nurmi Games 2022 (Turku)

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