Bengaluru: Swirling winds and opening jitters did little to stop Neeraj Chopra from shining at the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, as the Olympic champion launched a winning throw of 86.18m at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, July 5.

The electrifying evening saw Chopra don the dual role of organiser and star attraction, as a packed crowd turned up to witness some of the world’s best javelin throwers battle not only each other, but also unpredictable wind conditions.

Known for landing his best throws early, Neeraj stumbled on his run-up during the first round, resulting in a foul.

After a pep talk from Veteran competitor and close friend Julius Yego, Neeraj bounced back with an 82.33m effort in Round 2 to take an early lead.

However, it was Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, a former fast bowler, who briefly stole the spotlight with a personal best of 84.34m.

Neeraj, unfazed, responded with a clutch third-round throw of 86.18m — enough to reclaim the lead and eventually secure victory.

Despite tricky headwind and tailwind conditions that forced athletes to switch javelins mid-competition, Neeraj logged four legal throws and secured the gold medal by a margin of over 1.5 metres.

Julius Yego, with a season-best of 84.51m, took silver, while Pathirage’s impressive effort earned him the bronze.

Yego was the most consistent performer on the day, registering five valid throws, while Pathirage emerged as the unexpected contender who pushed both veterans throughout the meet.

Among the Indian hopefuls, Sachin Yadav stood out with a strong 82.33m throw, finishing fourth. The young talent is being seen as a rising star in India’s javelin circuit.

Post-event, Neeraj admitted he was “extremely nervous” balancing his responsibilities as both organiser and athlete but expressed satisfaction at how the evening unfolded. “I hope to make this a larger athletics event in the future, bringing more top international athletes every year,” he said.