(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated July 21, 2025)

Q. How did it feel to finally cross 90 metres at the Doha Diamond League?

The 90-metre mark is just a number that has become a magical mark today. And now that it’s done, I’m free of the burden. The idea hereon is to keep throwing as far as I can and I will continue putting in the hard work to do that. The most important thing is that there will be no more questions on crossing 90 metres!

Q. Silver in Doha, followed by gold at the Paris Diamond League. What have you got right this year?

Though there was a delay in getting started, the training was really good under coach Jan Zelezny in South Africa. I’m able to follow it in training, but I still need to replicate it in competitions. I’m working on things like the run-up and maintaining my posture while throwing.

Q. How does it feel to have an event, the Neeraj Chopra Classic, in your name?

I had only dreamt of these things. To have a competition featuring world-class athletes at home is the fruition of another dream, just like winning the Olympics or the World Championships. It’s very different from winning a medal, but I feel like through this event, too, I have done something worthwhile for India.

Q. What do you envision for the NC Classic going forward?

There’s a lot to learn from this edition and where we can improve. It only features men this year, but we’ll look to add women as well. I hope we can make it an annual event and add more disciplines in the future. I want to think about how I can raise the standard of athletics in India.

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