Chopra Lands Ostrava Title But Seeks Higher Javelin Mark

Neeraj Chopra secured the Golden Spike title at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event held on Tuesday, achieving a best throw of 85.29m. Despite the victory, the Olympic champion expressed his desire for improvement in his performance. This marked his first appearance at the meet.

Neeraj Chopra clinches the javelin title at Ostrava Golden Spike 2025.

Chopra led the field of nine athletes with his winning throw in the third round. His series included a foul on his first attempt, followed by 83.45m in the second round.

"I am not that happy with my performance today, but I am very happy with the trophy I won," Chopra stated. He further added, "I used to watch this meeting a lot as a kid. I watched people like Jan Zelezny and Usain Bolt winning the Golden Spike, and I dreamt of winning one as well. Now the dream has come true," as reported by PTI.

His subsequent throws measured 82.17m and 81.01m, with a foul concluding his final round. "Javelin throw is very popular in Czechia," Chopra acknowledged. "The amount of support we were getting from the crowd was crazy. I just wish I could have performed better for them." He had previously surpassed the 90m mark when he finished second at the Doha Diamond League in May.

The 27-year-old athlete has demonstrated consistent form throughout the season, highlighted by his Diamond League victory in Paris shortly before the Golden Spike meet. Looking ahead, Chopra is scheduled to compete at the NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5. He will be up against formidable opponents like Anderson Peters and Thomas Rohler.

Despite not meeting his own expectations, especially in front of the enthusiastic crowd, Chopra's performance was enough to secure the coveted Golden Spike title.