'I am not that happy with my performance today', says Neeraj Chopra after winning Ostrava Golden Spike win

Neeraj Chopra might have won the Golden Spike title in his first outing at the meet, but the two-time Olympic champion was not pleased with his throw. Chopra's personal best effort of 85.29m was sufficient to win the event in a nine-man field, at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet on Tuesday (June 24). "I am not too satisfied with my performance today, but I am extremely satisfied with the trophy that I have won," Chopra said after winning. "I would watch this gathering a lot as a child. I used to watch individuals like Jan Zelezny and Usain Bolt, who would win the Golden Spike and I would dream of doing the same. The dream has now materialised," the double Olympic-medallist further added.

Although he dominated the event, Chopra said he was short of his own expectations, particularly in front of a full house. "I know the javelin throw is very popular in Czechia. The crowd support we were getting was crazy. I just wish I could have done better for them," said Chopra, who crossed the allusive 90m mark with his second place performance in Doha Diamond League in May 2025.

Chopra started and finished with fouls; he recorded 82.17 metres and 81.01 metres in his second and third throw, respectively. Poised at third place in the second round, the athlete flipped the rankings with his best in the third round, which moved him to the top of the chart. South Africa’s Douw Smit with 84.12-metre throw and Grenada’s Anderson Peters with 83.63-metre throw, secured second and third places.

Chopra has been in stellar form this season, he crossed the 90-metre mark for the second time in his career at the Doha Diamond League. Earlier this year in May at the Suheim bin Hamad Stadium, India’s two-time Olympic medalist achieved it with his 90.23-metre throw.

After finishing second at events, Chopra finally broke the jinx at the Paris Diamond League meet, where he bagged the title with a throw of 88.16 meters.