India’s javelin icon Neeraj Chopra stands on the brink of another historic moment. As the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo approach, the reigning world champion faces perhaps the toughest challenge of his career. With a field packed with Olympic champions and big-distance throwers, Chopra must push beyond consistency and aim for career-defining distances to retain his crown.

For much of his career, Chopra’s hallmark has been reliability. He rarely misses the podium, stringing together over two dozen top-three finishes. Yet the sport has evolved. Rival athletes like Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem and Germany’s Julian Weber are capable of throwing well beyond the 90-metre mark — Weber recently unleashed a 91.51 m throw in Zurich.

Chopra’s personal best of 90.23 m, achieved earlier this year in Doha, proves he can compete with the best. However, a recent dip — such as his 85.01 m throw for second place in Zurich — signals the need to summon his absolute peak when it matters most.

Jan Železný is Neeraj Chopra’s current coach — providing technical mentorship, strategy, and training oversight during key preparation phases in the lead-up to major competitions like the World Championships, We do not need to really explain who Jan is but as a huge fan ill add this…

“Jan Železný is a legendary Czech javelin thrower, widely regarded as the greatest in the sport’s history. He is a three-time Olympic gold medalist (1992, 1996, 2000) and three-time world champion (1993, 1995, 2001). Železný still holds the men’s javelin world record with a throw of 98.48 set in 1996 a mark unbeaten for nearly three decades.”

Back to Chopra

Known for his calm composure, Chopra himself has admitted that aiming for “safe throws” won’t be enough in Tokyo. A more attacking mindset chasing not just podiums but big marks early in competition could make the difference between silver and gold. He will need to respond instantly if competitors launch season-best throws in the opening rounds.

Facing World-Class Rivals

• Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan): Back from calf surgery, the Olympic champion is hungry to reclaim supremacy.
• Julian Weber (Germany): In red-hot form with world-leading throws.
• Jakub Vadlejch (Czech Republic): The veteran contender capable of delivering under pressure.

This trio represents the immediate threat to Chopra’s title defense. Each has the ability to break the 90m barrier on any given day.

The Road Ahead

For Neeraj Chopra, the equation is clear: stay healthy, remain fearless, and produce throws beyond 90 metres. If he can balance technical precision with explosive power and mental aggression, the golden dream in Tokyo remains alive.

As the world’s best prepare to clash, Chopra’s quest is more than a battle for medals — it’s a fight to cement his place among the all-time greats of javelin throwing.