Indian javelin icon Neeraj Chopra secured his first Diamond League win in two years at the Paris leg of the competition, leading from the outset with a throw of 88.16 meters. His opening attempt ultimately proved unbeatable, despite a high-caliber lineup that included multiple 90-meter throwers.

Returning to the French capital for the first time since 2017—where he finished fifth as a rising junior—Chopra looked to make a statement. And he did, launching his best attempt on his first try at the Charlety Stadium, a mark that none of his rivals managed to eclipse across six rounds.

Germany’s Julian Weber, who had recently defeated Chopra in Doha and Poland, delivered a best throw of 87.88 meters, while Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva surprised with a personal best and new South American record of 86.62 meters, finishing third.

Although Chopra couldn’t repeat his historic 90.23-meter effort from Doha earlier this year, his performance was enough to outclass a competitive field that included Olympic and World Championship medalists. Notably, his second attempt reached 85.10 meters, but he fouled his next three throws before closing the evening with 82.89 meters.

Changing weather conditions, particularly a dip in temperature as the event progressed, seemed to affect many of the athletes. Anderson Peters of Grenada, once seen as a key rival, could only manage 80.29 meters to place fifth. Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago finished just outside the podium in fourth with 81.66 meters.

Chopra’s latest Diamond League win adds to a growing list of accomplishments on the international circuit. With this victory, he now has five Diamond League titles, including:

• Lausanne 2022

   

• Zurich Final 2022

   

• Doha 2023

   

• Lausanne 2023

   

• Paris 2025

   

Chopra’s road to Paris was not without setbacks. He finished second in Doha despite his record-breaking 90-meter throw, and again fell short at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland, where Julian Weber again outperformed him. In that competition, held under cloudy skies, Chopra threw just 84.14 meters.

Earlier in 2025, Chopra began his season by winning a smaller event in Potchefstroom, South Africa, with a distance of 84.52 meters. The Paris Diamond League was only his second appearance in the searies this year, making the win a strong indicator of form leading into a busy schedule.

Looking ahead, the reigning Olympic and World Champion will compete next at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic on June 24. He will then headline the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, to be held in Bengaluru on July 5—a World Athletics Category A event that he is also organising.