Indian javelin ace and Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra clinched his first Diamond League title in two years with an impressive performance at the Paris leg of the series on Friday night, edging out top rival Julian Weber of Germany.
Chopra, 27, secured the top spot with his very first throw of the evening, measuring 88.16m.
Despite fouling three subsequent attempts and finishing his sixth and final throw at 82.89m, his opening mark was enough to beat a star-studded field, which included five athletes from the elite 90m club.
Germany's Julian Weber took second place with a strong opening throw of 87.88m, while Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio Da Silva claimed third with an 86.62m attempt in the third round.
"I am happy with my throw....My run-up was really fast today. I can't control my speed, but I'm happy with the result and with the first position," said Chopra, who has previously earned both gold and silver Olympic medals.
This marks Chopra's first Diamond League win since Lausanne in June 2023, where he had thrown 87.66m. In the six Diamond League events since then, he had finished as runner-up.
It was also his first-ever victory in the Paris leg of the prestigious series. He last participated in the Paris DL in 2017, finishing fifth with a throw of 84.67m as a junior world champion.
Looking ahead, Chopra confirmed his participation in the Ostrava Golden Spike meet on June 24 and the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on July 5 — a World Athletics Category A event that he is hosting.
"I'm hoping for some 90-metre throws because I broke that barrier in Doha. So now I believe I can do it some more...But let's see, it depends on weather and good conditions, how the body feels, but maybe I will throw far in this season," he added.
Chopra crossed the 90m mark earlier this season in Doha with a throw of 90.23m, finishing second behind Weber’s final throw of 91.06m. Weber also bested Chopra again on May 23 at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland, where both athletes struggled under cold and cloudy conditions. Weber threw 86.12m, while Chopra recorded 84.14m.
Chopra began his 2025 season with a win in a Category F invitational meet in Potchefstroom, South Africa, with a throw of 84.52m.
The Paris event featured several elite throwers, including 2015 world champion Julius Yego of Kenya, 2012 Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, and Grenada’s Anderson Peters. Walcott finished fourth with 81.66m, followed by Peters (80.29m) and Yego (80.26m).