Neeraj Chopra Crosses 90m Mark in Doha Diamond League, Settles for Silver

Two Olympic medal winner Neeraj Chopra finally crossed the 90m barrier with an incredible 90.23m try in the Doha Diamond League men’s javelin throw competition on Friday. Neeraj Chopra, Olympic gold as well as silver medal winner, never crossed the 90m barrier until this competition. The renowned Indian athlete’s personal best before this was 89.94m at the Stockholm Diamond League 2022. Neeraj Chopra made history as the first Indian athlete to breach the milestone as he produced a 90.23m throw on his third attempt. But it wasn’t sufficient as Germany’s Julian Weber took the number one position with a 91.06m heave.

A Night to Remember for India’s Golden Boy

It was a night of magic for India’s golden boy as Chopra did something that fans and experts had waited years to see, crossing the fabled 90-metre mark in javelin throw, ultimately finishing second in the Doha Diamond League meet on Friday.

A New National Record and a Historic First for India

At the 2025 Doha Diamond League, two-time Olympic medalist Chopra threw his javelin to an astonishing 90.23 meters on his third throw, automatically going into the lead and thrilling the stadium environment. This earned him the distinction of being the first Indian javelin thrower to go beyond the 90m mark in a world-class competition and a new National Record for India since Chopra bettered his previous record of 89.94m achieved in June 2022 at Stockholm.

This throw was never about numbers. For years, the 90m barrier had been a symbolic Everest for Chopra a mark he nearly reached time and again, finishing just shy with throws in the high 88s and 89s.

Neeraj Chopra Answering the One Big Question

Even after Olympic gold at Tokyo, World Championship gold in Budapest, and dominance of the Diamond League, one question remained: When will Neeraj Chopra break 90 meters?

That question is now answered authoritatively. Under the spotlight of a full house and a star-studded field featuring world-class throwers, Chopra delivered when it counted.

Coach Jan Zelezny’s Influence Begins to Show on Neeraj Chopra

Chopra’s new coach Jan Zelezny was seen to leave his mark as Chopra finally cleared the match that he had tried several times over the past couple of years. Chopra has just hired three-time Olympic gold medallist Zelezny of the Czech Republic as his coach, replacing Dr. Klaus Bartonietz.

Following a consistent beginning in which he clocked 88.44m in his first effort and then committed a foul, Chopora released the beast of a throw in his third effort—his javelin cutting through the Doha night air and settling at the revered 90-metre mark. A deafening roar arose, not merely from the ground, but on social media and Indian sports circles as well as the rest of the world as the attempt was measured 90.23m.

With this throw, Neeraj becomes part of that exclusive club of javelin throwers who have breached the 90 m barrier, along with reigning Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan, confirming himself as one of the greatest in the history of the sport. The joy and relief were written across his face this was not just a statistic; this was an individual milestone.