Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 21 : In a moment that marks a defining milestone in country's track and field journey, India's most decorated Olympian Neeraj Chopra, in collaboration with JSW Sports, announced the launch of India's first-ever International Javelin competition, the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is the official sanctioning body of this historic event, which will see the participation of several Olympic medallists, including Neeraj Chopra, Thomas Rohler and Anderson Peters.
The Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 is set to take place on May 24 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. As a World Athletics-sanctioned Gold event, it promises to elevate India's status on the global athletics map.
Along with Chopra, the competition will see participation from some of the best in the sport, including Julius Yego, Rumesh Pathirage, Luiz Mauricio Da Silva, Anderson Peters, Thomas Rohler, and Curtis Thompson, with more Indian and international athletes expected to be confirmed soon.
Chopra expressed his excitement about the event, stating, "This is a first-of-its-kind international javelin competition in India. It has been a long-standing dream of mine, since the days I used to travel abroad for competitions and see how well these events are organised and the way people support these events. I enjoyed watching those competitions and often wondered if we would ever have the opportunity to host similar events in India, where world-class athletes participate, we compete alongside them, and our fans can watch us perform. I am sure it will inspire young athletes, and I am looking forward to seeing the competition on display."
Parth Jindal, Founder, JSW Sports, said, "I would like to thank the Athletics Federation of India and their leadership for giving us this fantastic opportunity of bringing a world-class event to India. The AFI has been doing some incredible work to raise the profile of track and field sports in the country, and the manner in which they have come forward to support this event is a testament to their endeavours."
"JSW Sports' vision is to maximise India's sporting potential and to play a role in making India a global sporting powerhouse. When Neeraj brought the idea to us of staging a world-class athletics meeting in India, we jumped at the opportunity to help make it happen. We have made a long-term commitment to World Athletics and the Athletics Federation of India and plan to grow the event over the years by adding further disciplines. This is just the beginning, and one that is set to change the way Indian audiences consume track and field events," he added.
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