Neeraj Chopra returns to Zurich chasing Diamond League crown, but faces tough competition

India’s golden boy, Neeraj Chopra, is once again preparing for one of the biggest events of the season – the Diamond League Final 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland. The javelin throw final will take place on Thursday, August 28, at the famous Letzigrund Stadium, a ground that is very special for Neeraj.

It was at the same venue three years ago that Neeraj created history by becoming the first ever Indian to win a Diamond League trophy. After that, Neeraj went on to reach the finals in 2023 and 2024, too, but on both occasions, he had to settle for second place. This time, he will be aiming to get back the title in style.

Strong season for Neeraj

Neeraj Chopra has had a very good year so far. He has taken part in six competitions in 2025 and has won four of them. In the other two, he finished second. His best performance of the season came in May at the Doha Diamond League, where he threw a national record 90.23m. That throw also made him the only Indian ever to cross the 90m mark in javelin.

Neeraj won the Paris leg of the Diamond League in June, with another superb throw of 88.16m. He then decided to skip the Silesia and Brussels legs of the competition as he had already qualified for the final. He used that time to train and stay fresh for the final in Zurich. His last competition was the inaugural NC Classic in Bengaluru in early July, where he once again finished on top with an effort of 86.18m.

Neeraj will now enter the Diamond League final as one of the top favourites given his recent form across events.

A tough line-up in Zurich

Even though Neeraj is among the favourites to win the title in Zurich, the men’s javelin final will not be easy. The event will feature some of the best throwers in the world, with six of the seven participants ranked inside the top 10. Grenada’s Anderson Peters, the reigning Diamond League champion, will be aiming to defend his crown. Peters beat Neeraj by just one centimetre in Brussels to take the title last year.

Germany’s Julian Weber is also a major threat to the Indian star. He has registered a massive 91.06m throw this season and had earlier beaten Neeraj in Doha. Then there is Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott, the Olympic gold medallist from London 2012, who has been in good form this season with a best throw of 86.30m. Former world champion Julius Yego from Kenya and Moldova’s Andrian Mardare are also part of the field, along with local thrower Simon Wieland.

This will make the Zurich final a cracking contest, given that it is filled with strong performers. This will also serve as the perfect preparation ground for Neeraj before he goes to Tokyo next month for the World Championships, where he will defend his title.

Neeraj vs Walcott – The battle of Olympic champions

Keshorn Walcott is one athlete who can give Neeraj a serious fight in Zurich. Walcott stunned the athletics world in 2012 when he won an Olympic gold medal in London. Since then, his form has gone up and down, but this year he seems to be getting back to his best. His personal best throw of 90.16m shows that he has the skill and power to give tough competition to Neeraj and other players.

On the other hand, Neeraj has been more consistent over the past few years. His 90.23m throw earlier this season shows that he is in top rhythm. While Walcott will be hungry to make a big mark again, Neeraj’s recent form gives him an edge in their rivalry. The fight between the two Olympic champions will be one of the highlights of the Diamond League final this year.

Eyes on another milestone

Neeraj has already achieved almost everything an athlete can dream of but he will still be hungry for more glory. Indian fans will be hoping to see him recreate what he did in 2022. It will be interesting to see how the 27-year-old performs in Zurich and whether he will be able to take back the crown.