Neeraj Chopra has finally shaken off the huge monkey on his back! At the Doha Diamond League 2025, he delivered the moment every Indian has been waiting for ¡ª breaching the elusive 90m barrier in the javelin throw.?
With a stunning third attempt of 90.23m, Neeraj not only crossed the 90m mark for the first time in his career but also broke his own national record of 89.94m, set at the Stockholm Diamond League in 2022.?
Neeraj Chopra opened strong with an 88.44m throw, followed by a foul on his second attempt. It was his third throw that made history ¡ª a sensational 90.23m, finally breaching the 90m barrier. He continued with an 80.56m in his fourth attempt and maintained the lead for a while with his 5th throw also being a foul.
However, Germany's Julian Weber delivered a stunning comeback. He threw 89.84m on his fifth attempt and then sealed the victory with a massive 91.06m final throw, edging past Neeraj to claim the top spot.?
The other Indian in the fray, Kishore Jena, finished 8th overall. His series of throws included 68.07m, 78.60m, a foul on his third attempt, followed by 74.80m and 77.28m. Despite not making it to the top ranks, Jena delivered a steady performance, but could not cross the 80m mark.
Despite the outcome, Indian fans continued to cheer for the champion who has consistently made the nation proud. Many took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate the Olympic gold medalist.?
One said, "Ngl, I legit have tears in my eyes :') Neeraj Chopra really, really deserved that 90m throw. He's been chasing that marker for SO long¡ªSO happy he's finally got past it :')."?
Another wrote, "Of course happy for Neeraj Chopra as always but gutted for Kishore Jena. Bro is barely crossing 80m these days. Doesn't look like the same rhythm or confidence he had during the Asian Games."?
One commented, "Achieved what he was dreaming of all these years."?
Another added, "He knew it the moment the javelin left his hand¡ Here is the 90m moment for Neeraj Chopra."?
And one more wrote, "Tears in our eyes, pride in our hearts. Neeraj Chopra isn't just throwing the javelin¡ªhe's throwing India's dreams beyond limits."?
In the men's 5000m race, Gulveer Singh was the sole Indian participant. He finished in ninth place, putting up a commendable effort in a highly competitive field.
In the women's 3000m steeplechase, India's Parul Chaudhary finished sixth with a time of 9:13.39, securing a spot at the World Championships. With this, she also set a new national record. Kenya's Faith Cherotich won the event with a world-leading time of 9:05.08.