Ostrava Golden Spike: Neeraj Chopra clinches top prize with 85.29m throw, only athlete to breach 85m-mark at event | More sports News

Neeraj Chopra clinched top spot within the javelin throw event at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 (Image through AP/Petr David Josek)

India’s ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra continued his profitable streak this season by bagging the boys’s javelin title at the sixty fourth Ostrava Golden Spike meet within the Czech Republic on Tuesday. Competing for the primary time at this prestigious World Athletics Continental Tour Gold-level event, Chopra secured victory with a greatest effort of 85.29 metres. Fresh from his Paris Diamond League triumph on June 20, the place he threw 88.16m to edge out shut rival Julian Weber, Chopra as soon as once more underlined his consistency regardless of not hitting his private peak. Chopra was at third at the top of the second spherical after opening with a foul earlier than a 83.45m throw. But he jumped to the top spot with his third spherical effort of 85.29m, taking him away from the sector because the only athlete on the night time to breach the 85m mark. He recorded 82.17m and 81.01m in his subsequent two throws earlier than fouling his closing try. South Africa’s Douw Smit completed second with a greatest throw of 84.12m, which got here in his second try, whereas Grenada’s Anderson Peters, the 2019 World Champion, claimed third place with a 83.63m throw in his first try. The Ostrava meet holds particular significance for the 27-year-old Chopra as it’s directed by his private coach and javelin legend Jan Zelezny, who himself is a a three-time Olympic gold medallist who received this event 9 occasions throughout his embellished profession. Chopra had skipped the final two editions due to health issues however marked his debut look this 12 months with a assured efficiency. Chopra’s 2025 season has been spectacular to this point. He began with a robust exhibiting at the Doha Diamond League in May, the place he crossed the elusive 90m barrier for the second time in his profession en route to a second-place end. He adopted it up with a commanding win at the Paris Diamond League and has now secured back-to-back titles with the Ostrava triumph. Chopra fouled his first and closing throws however had already executed sufficient to top the nine-man discipline and keep his profitable momentum forward of larger competitions later within the season.