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India’s javelin ace Neeraj Chopra is all set to take center stage at the prestigious Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 athletics meet in Czechia on Tuesday, June 24. Fresh from his commanding victory at the Paris Diamond League, the reigning world champion is aiming to carry that momentum forward in what promises to be an electrifying night of track and field action.
Neeraj Chopra’s road to Ostrava Golden Spike 2025
Chopra’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster of high-stakes duels and standout performances. After beginning the year with a win at the Potch Invitational Meet in South Africa, Chopra went on to break the elusive 90-meter barrier at the Doha Diamond League in May, registering a national record of 90.23m.
Despite finishing second to Germany’s Julian Weber in both Doha and the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland, the 2021 Olympic champion bounced back at the Paris Diamond League. There, he outperformed Weber and clinched his first Diamond League win of the season.
“It was not easy, the competition in Paris was quite late. First throw was good, but I don’t know what happened then… At the end, I’m happy already having a Diamond League win this year,” said Neeraj Chopra post-race.
Long-awaited debut at Golden Spike
Though scheduled to compete in the Ostrava Golden Spike in both 2023 and 2024, injuries forced Chopra to withdraw on both occasions. He attended last year’s event as a guest, but 2025 finally marks his debut on this iconic stage.
“When I was a kid, I watched a lot of videos and photos of athletes like Usain Bolt competing here. I came last year, but I didn’t compete because of injury. Now I feel good, but I don’t want to put any pressure on myself for 90m. But I’ll try really hard,” Chopra shared.
The event carries added emotional weight as it is the home ground of his coach, Czech javelin legend and world record holder Jan Zelezny, who also plays a pivotal role in organizing the meet.
A star-studded field
The javelin throw competition will see Neeraj Chopra go head-to-head with some of the best in the business. The lineup includes:
Anderson Peters (GRN): Two-time world champion and Paris 2024 bronze medallist
Thomas Rohler (GER): Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist
Toni Keranen (FIN) and others from USA, Czechia, and South Africa
With this event being his fifth competition of the season, Chopra is expected to use it as a crucial tune-up ahead of his World Championship title defense in Tokyo this September.
When and Where to Watch
Event: Ostrava Golden Spike 2025
Discipline: Men’s Javelin Throw
Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Time: 10:30 PM IST
Live Stream: Available on the event’s official YouTube channel
TV Broadcast in India: Not available
Following this, Neeraj Chopra will compete at the NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, with further 2025 competition plans yet to be confirmed.
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