New Delhi [India], June 30: India’s javelin ace Kishore Jena has been forced to withdraw from the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 after sustaining an ankle injury. Yashvir Singh has been named as his replacement in the final line-up, as confirmed in a statement by the organisers.
Earlier this year, both Yashvir and Kishore competed at the Indian Open Athletics 2025 in Chennai. At the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Yashvir recorded a personal best of 77.49m on his fifth attempt, while Kishore managed 75.99m on his fourth.
The Neeraj Chopra Classic, India’s first-ever international javelin competition, is now set to take place on July 5 at Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium. Initially scheduled for May 24, the event was postponed due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.
Spearheaded by Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, in collaboration with JSW Sports and sanctioned by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), the World Athletics Gold-level meet promises to boost India’s standing in global athletics. Featuring a world-class line-up of elite throwers, the competition will showcase top-tier talent to over 12,000 spectators.
Neeraj Chopra will headline the event named in his honour but will face strong rivals, with organisers confirming a 12-member entry list. The roster has seen just one adjustment since the initial announcement: Poland’s Martin Konecny replaces Japan’s Genki Dean.
International stars like Anderson Peters, Thomas Röhler, and Julius Yego — the 2015 world champion and Rio 2016 silver medallist — will compete as originally planned. The line-up also features Curtis Thompson (USA), Luiz Mauricio da Silva (Brazil), and Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka). Indian athletes Sachin Yadav, Rohit Yadav, and Sahil Silwal will join Neeraj in representing the host nation.