Sports fans are in for a treat in 2025 with India set to host a blockbuster athletics event this year. In September this year, India are planning to host an invitational world javelin event which will feature two-time Olympics medallist Neeraj Chopra and top 10 javelin throwers from around the world.
That means India could finally witness a repeat of the Paris Olympics 2024 final clash between Pakistan’s gold medallist Arshad Nadeem and India’s very own Neeraj Chopra, who bagged the silver medal. Arshad came up with a whopping 92.97m throw to beat Neeraj for the title, the Indian was aiming to defend after winning the gold at Tokyo Olympics 2021.
Neeraj Chopra will headline a high-profile international javelin competition in India, tentatively scheduled for September, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced on Tuesday. This event is part of a series of global athletics initiatives India aims to host, including the prestigious 2029 World Championships.
Outgoing AFI president Adille Sumariwalla confirmed India’s interest in hosting several marquee events, such as the 2027 World Relays, the 2028 World Junior Championships, and the 2029 World Championships. The proposal for the World Junior Championships was submitted during World Athletics president Sebastian Coe’s visit to India last November.
“A top-tier javelin competition featuring the world’s top 10 javelin throwers will be held later this year,” Sumariwalla said during the AFI Annual General Meeting (AGM), where his 12-year tenure as president officially ended.
Notably, Neeraj Chopra will not only participate in the event but also play a key role in its organization. “Neeraj Chopra is part of the organizing team, working alongside JSW, a foreign firm, and the AFI to create this competition. The initiative reflects the growing interest in javelin, especially since August 7—when Chopra clinched Olympic gold in Tokyo—is celebrated as National Javelin Day,” Sumariwalla added.
India set to host an elite javelin tournament.
– The tournament will have Top 10 Javelin Thrower across the globe including Neeraj Chopra.
– AFI & JSW are going to organize this tournament around September this year. pic.twitter.com/eHQmroTXRk
— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) January 7, 2025
Globally, athletes frequently engage in promoting and organizing events to enhance their sport’s visibility. Chopra, a vocal advocate for hosting international competitions in India, sees this as an opportunity to elevate athletics’ profile in the country.
Sumariwalla later told PTI news agency that the competition is likely to take place in September. Meanwhile, Bahadur Singh Sagoo, the 2002 Asian Games shot put gold medalist, was elected unopposed as the new AFI president during the AGM.
Highlighting India’s aspirations, Sumariwalla stated, “We’ve expressed interest in hosting the 2028 World Junior Championships, the 2029 World Championships, and the 2027 World Relays. The bidding process has begun, and we’re also considering hosting a World Half Marathon.”
In addition, India is set to host a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze-level event in Bhubaneswar on August 10. This will mark the first global athletics meet in India since the international permit events of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The country previously hosted the World Half Marathon Championships in 2004 in New Delhi.
The Continental Tour is an annual series of track-and-field competitions under World Athletics, serving as the second tier of one-day international meetings after the prestigious Diamond League. The bronze-level event is a step below the gold and silver tiers.
These efforts align with India’s broader vision to boost its profile in global athletics as part of its bid to host the 2036 Olympics.
