Paris: Double Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra delivered a commanding performance at the Paris Diamond League, claiming top spot with a powerful 88.16m throw on his very first attempt at Stade Charléty on Saturday. 

His opening throw set the benchmark for the evening and remained unmatched through the competition. Despite recording three fouls in his six attempts, the early effort was enough to keep him in the lead in a highly competitive field.

Germany’s Julian Weber, a former Diamond League champion and one of Chopra’s fiercest rivals, came closest with a strong 87.88m effort, also in the first round. Despite a consistent series, Weber was unable to surpass Chopra’s mark and finished second.

Brazil’s Luiz Maurício da Silva delivered a career-best 86.62m throw in the third round, placing third and setting a new South American record in the process.

This was Chopra’s first appearance at the Paris Diamond League since 2017, when he finished fifth with a throw of 84.67m as a junior world champion. The Paris meet marked the eighth stop on the 2025 Diamond League circuit, which will culminate in a two-day final in Zurich this August.

Chopra began his 2025 campaign with a win at the Potch Invitational in South Africa, throwing 84.52m. He made headlines in Doha by breaching the elusive 90m barrier for the first time, setting a new Indian national record with a 90.23m effort—though he was narrowly edged by Weber’s personal best of 91.06m.

The rivalry continued in Poland’s Janusz Kusociński Memorial, where Weber again finished ahead with 86.12m to Chopra’s 84.14m in wet, tricky conditions.

In Paris, however, Chopra reclaimed the lead—and reminded the world why he remains one of the sport’s most formidable athletes.

(IANS)